Speed Demons
by cascade-of-black-ink
Summary: Yuri returns to Tokyo to live with her father only to find a gaijin with an irritating accent for a stepbrother occupying the only other room in the house. And who also happens to be the D.K. of the racing scene she's set on conquering.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own only my main character and other fictional ones…

Chapter 1

Dusk had already broken out over Tokyo but the activity going on in its streets gave no sign of slowing down. If anything, the pace was heightened as tired employees with sad, worn-out looks on their faces bustled their way through the subway and the pedestrian-crossings, trying to get home as soon as possible. In the vortex of people emerging from the Narita train, the teenage girl went unnoticed except by a few who were still alert in the very least and these gave her second looks every time she passed them by. Before she left the station, she put a black cap on and brandished a map from her bulky haversack. She peered at it, frowned, looked around, then cautiously joined the crowd of pedestrians across the street.

Bright neon lights screaming advertisements out at her from almost every skyscraper made her both smile and frown with disapproval. Nevertheless, she kept her fists jammed into her pockets and quickened her pace, eager to reach her destination. A chill autumn wind was felt even though she was surrounded by warm bodies. Yes, no doubt about it, she was definitely going to hate Tokyo. Minutes later, she came to a less packed road. Still, just to be cautious, she pressed the button on the traffic light and waited for the pedestrian lights to turn green.

An obnoxious vroom sounded in the distance and she couldn't help but look. Barely seconds later, two modified cars (one a Fairlady and another a Skyline R32, she couldn't help notice) zoomed past her and literally took her breath away. _Flashy vinyls, fluorescent underglow neon, and excessive bass beats?_ She smiled. _This is more like it_. The pedestrian lights switched from ominous red to grinning green and she crossed the road with a furiously-thinking mind.

At last, after almost an hour of wandering and asking for directions, she turned into a once-familiar street. It was narrow, with puddles of water here and there on the uneven road, and whiny traditional Japanese music screeching out from the dilapidated tea house. _Yep_, she thought with a sigh and a twitch of her shoulders, _I'm coming home_.

She walked several doors down the almost-dark street and came to a stop in front of a small house with the traditional paper sliding doors. She took a deep breath and jabbed at the buzzer. _Same old, same old_.

Footsteps padded inside the house and the door was slid open by a man with grey-white hair and a pair of keen grey eyes. A _gaijin_. Her father.

"Hi, Dad," she croaked unsteadily. A smile was attempted, but it turned out to be a very crooked one.

Dad broke into a wide, warm smile and wrapped his arms around her. "Hello, Yuri."

"So," he said once they had settled down with a teapot of tea (prepared by Yuri), "how's your mother?"

She laughed a little as she poured tea into two cups. "Not so good… I wouldn't have come all the way here if she was in a right state of mind."

He sat up straight. "You mean she's – "

"Crazy?" she finished for him. "Dad, she's never been sane – you dragged her out of her comfortable _geisha_ life, then decided that the best thing for her – for us – was splitting up the marriage. The rest of the ride has pretty much been hell."

Dad chuckled as he sipped his tea. "You talk too maturely for someone your age."

She stared at him. "I'm 17, and I think I'm entitled to choose the things I want to say."

"17? You're 17 already?" he set his cup down on the table. "Gosh – when did you get so big? Where's my little Yuri?"

"She's all grown up," she declared simply. She downed her cup of tea and stood. "Where do I sleep? Is the closet still up for grabs?" Without waiting for an answer she grabbed her haversack and headed for her old room but before she could open the door, his voice suddenly said sharply, "Yuri – there's something I have to tell you."

She turned around and frowned. "What?"

He took a deep breath and released it, and paused for a few seconds, keeping his eyes on the ground, before finally daring to meet her gaze. "Yuri," he said slowly.

She set her haversack on the floor and folded her arms. "What is it, Dad?"

He gazed at her meaningfully. She realised that he was hiding something back, and that something was big, awful, and had something to do about her old room. But by the way he was fidgeting and looking about and shaking his head and muttering incomprehensibles, she had to let him calm down first. Prompting would only make things worse.

"Yuri," he said again, with the fervour of a man itching to run out of the room, "before your mother – there had been someone else. In the States. We divorced after three, er, problematic years, and – and trouble was – "

The door suddenly slid open and a man in his early twenties entered the house. Yuri stared at the intruder, half-ready to chase him out of the house, but as he stopped in his steps and stared at them, first at her father, then at her, she saw that he was a _gaijin_ as well. He had closely-cropped brown hair and the top of his head barely brushed the ceiling (which was already quite low). But what stood out about him (and noticeable even in the dim lighting of her father's house) was his steel-grey eyes; like her father's.

Like hers.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Thanks to all for reviewing! To be honest, I didn't expect anyone to relate this to Memoirs of A Geisha. I didn't mean at all to relate this to that at all! To clear things up a bit, Yuri is not a short form of Sayuri, nor is her mum a _geisha_, but as more about her past is revealed, you'll understand why I chose the term _geisha_. And I do apologise for not putting this up earlier: this story takes place three years after the movie. Sorry for the confusion! I would like to say this: please don't jump into conclusions before giving the story a chance. The first chapter of every story usually doesn't tell much – you have to dig deeper to get the gist.

Disclaimer: I don't own the who's who in the movie.

Chapter 2

Yuri couldn't get her eyes off the man. She continued to stare at him, incredulity and fury boiling slowly in her stomach. He seemed to be equally bewildered, wondering what the heck was a teenage girl doing in his father's house, holding a backpack, as if he had invited her to stay for the night. Surely he could have chosen an older companion, not one that looked at least five years younger than him.

"What the heck are you doin' here?" he said coldly. Yuri narrowed her eyes. "I should be asking you that question, since you barged in here without even buzzing."

His eyes narrowed as well. "Excuse me? I live here."

"What, you're his tenant?"

"Look missy, I'm his – "

"Hold it!" said her father suddenly, holding his hands up and inserting himself between them before things blew up. Yuri was glad he did, because she was an instant closer to giving the _gaijin_ the greatest punch she'd ever given. "Since this is my house, you're both to adhere to my rules. Get it?" He gave them both stern looks.

"Why should I – "

"What's she got to – "

"Shut up!" He pointed at the low table, where the tea had gone cold. "That is our new Peace Zone. Sit facing each other. Hear me out first before you start clawing."

They glared at each other and did as was told. Yuri took a few breaths to slow her heart rate down, but every time she looked up, her resentment grew ever more as she met his angry stare. As her father sat and poured cold tea for them both, she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yuri," said Dad harshly. She clenched her fists as the _gaijin _sniggered.

"Sean," said Dad to the other man in an equally strict tone.

Yuri rolled her eyes. Typical American name.

"Okay, now that you're both settled – Yuri," he looked at her, "when I was at the United States, before I came here and met your mother, I had a family there." _He had a family there_. The sentence hit her like a ton of bricks, and it felt as if the force had shattered her heart into a million little pieces. She swallowed, and it felt like bile to her tongue. The memory of all those happy times – the respect she had for her father despite being a _gaijin_ – evaporated along with what little good mood she had for the day. She tore her eyes away from him and fixed them on the floor.

"Sean," said Dad, now turning towards the man sitting in front of her, slowly being hit by realisation, and he did not try to belittle his intelligence. "She's Yuri. She's your stepsister."

Silence fell heavily. Sean stared disbelievingly at her. It was hard for him to digest the fact – all his life he'd been alone, just he and his mom; he had wished he had a younger brother or a sister to play with – but mom never got married again. How ironic that his little wish had come true – now, and he did not like it at all.

"Yuri," said Dad, more softly this time. "I've cleared out the, er, wardrobe, you know, the one with no doors – there's just room for a mattress and – "

"I get the message," she said with as much bitterness she could dispel.

* * *

The mattress was lumpy and she hated it, but what she hated more was the _gaijin_ half-sleeping at a ninety-degree angle to her feet. If she even moved an inch away from her sleeping position, her toes would touch his, and they would instantly draw their knees up to their chin and mumble and huff with impatience. Yuri tried her best to go to sleep, just shut her eyes and forget about the hell around her, but it was more difficult than the entrance examination. And the mattress was so small.

Finally, after slamming into each other's toes for about the hundredth time, he sat up and turned on the lights. "I can't sleep like this, you know!"

She sat up as well and glared at him. "You think I did it on purpose?"

"Just to annoy me!"

"It's not my fault that you have long legs!"

"That just shows that I have the better of the gene pool."

"So I'm a deformity now?"

"Just slightly better than a sewage rat."

That was just about enough insult that she could take for one day. With a feral growl she lunged at him, and the first contact she made was an almighty punch in his stomach. He yelled in pain and pushed her off, but she wasn't done yet. She slapped him hard and he lost all control. He was sick of being a gentleman. He slapped her in return, and pinned her down onto the floor.

"Why - you jerk!"

"That's for hittin' me for no reason!"

She snarled and aimed a kick, but unfortunately, it missed his groin.

"Shoot!"

"Bitch!"

The door slid open.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews again! I made a terrible mistake in the summary; I've rectified it. Yuri is 17 and yes, she goes to school, not college! Sorry again!

Disclaimer: The usual...

Chapter 3

Abruptly, Yuri felt something pulling her shoulders. She yelped in surprise as she was thrown against the hard back of the wardrobe. Seething with rage, she lunged at him again, only to be pushed back by Dad. Sean seemed equally determined to end the brawl, but was refrained expertly by, yes you guessed it, dear old Dad.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU TWO! Acting like a bunch of kids! I don't expect to put up with this sort of childish behaviour – especially not from you, Sean – you're twenty, behave like an adult for God's sake! And you, Yuri – you're a girl! Heaven forbid – you shouldn't pick a fight with a grown-up man!"

"He started it!" she retorted back.

"Kick her out!"

"Shut up!" They fell silent immediately, because it was one tone of Dad's that meant that he was going to explode at any moment and was not likely to forgive them in another, say, two months.

He gave them both red-hot glares until they lowered their eyes, even Yuri. She wasn't afraid of squaring up, but this was Dad – a different case altogether.

"Yuri, you have school tomorrow. So go to sleep. Sean – " he hesitated for a moment, before finally saying, " – no more fighting."

"Yes, Sir," they said numbly, and the closet door slid shut.

After a few seconds, Sean spoke up, "Ya know, I'm sorry for what I did. You're a girl – I shouldn't be beatin' you up."

His humble tone made her blush. "I'm sorry too. I must have been behaving like an idiot."

"And sorry for hintin' that you're a deformity too."

"It's no big deal."

"Truce? 'Cause we're definitely goin' ta need it if we're goin' to share a room."

"Funny, you're twenty, aren't you? Isn't it about time you moved out?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Rent ain't cheap out there, ya know."

"So it must be true then. Nothing's cheap in the Big Mikan."

"You can say that again."

She yawned, exhaustion finally taking its toll on her eyelids. "Wake me up at six, will you?"

"Heck, that's the alarm clock's job."

"Screw you."

"Yeah, g'night to you too."

The lights went out.

* * *

Yuri didn't need the alarm clock to tell her that six o'clock in the morning had arrived. She had been so used to getting up at that time that her eyelids automatically flew open just before the alarm clock rang shrilly on the floor right next to her. She shut it off and got to her feet. The sun was three-quarter way through full rise. She went to the tiny bathroom (she vaguely remembered it being next to the kitchen) and washed herself and took a quick bath of icy cold water.

Her teeth was still chattering when she found her father sipping tea nonchalantly at the table.

"Good morning, Yuri."

"G'morning, Dad."

"There's still some tea left."

"Not yesterday's I hope?"

He laughed. "Seventeen years in Japan and still no idea on how to boil tea?"

"I thought so," she said as she accepted a steaming cup of tea. "_Arigato_… Mmm, chrysanthemum."

"Your mother's favourite," he said with a smile, which grew a little fixed in a few moments. "Tell me honestly, Yuri. How is she?"

Her good mood dissipated as quickly as the steam melted into the air. She took a small sip and placed the cup on the table. She couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth.

"Yuri?"

She took a deep breath and gave him a smile. "I think I'm running late. Where's my uniform?"

"I hung it up on the shelf for you when you were in the bathroom."

"Is it – "

"No. My apologies."

"Never mind. Where do you keep the iron?"

* * *

Shibuya High School did not differ much from the high school back home in Hokkaido, except for the pace. Like everyone else in Tokyo, the students kept their eyes fixed on the floor, moved and talked in gangs, and eyed the new student. Yuri had always identified herself as Japanese; identity crisis had never popped into her head before. But now… as she grew more and more conscious of gawks and stares around her, she wondered if she was going to ever make any friends. Not that back home she had any proper girlfriends – they were just girls who thought they looked cool hanging around her.

But that was Hokkaido. This is Tokyo. Where she had yet to make a mark.

Her day only truly begun the moment the bell rang, and she stepped past the school gates feeling a bit stuffed. Too much lunch, probably. She stopped in her tracks at once when she saw the monster parked in front of her.

A man, Asian by the looks of it, was sitting on its hood, his fingers dipping in and out of a chips packet, as if he was on a baby's day out. He stopped eating when he saw her, and his face broke into a smile. "Had a good day?"

She itched to smile back as well, but made a respectable effort to look serious. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, this?" he stood and pointed at the muscular beauty, then glanced at her, grinned and resumed his original position. "Hope you don't mind."

"I'm not used to strangers sitting on my car without my permission."

His grin grew wider and he held out a hand. "Ming."

"Ming," she repeated warily. "I was expecting someone else."

"He just went down the block for a Pepsi," said a voice, and she turned, and her smile was for real. "You idiot," she muttered.

Another man, this time one that she knew, was coming up the street towards her. He shrugged. "You look cute in this uniform."

"Who's looking after the garage then?"

He shrugged again. "I dunno… somebody?"

"You trust Miki?"

"_Shou ga nai_… Not a day late, you said."

She laughed and hugged him. "Thank you, Koji – thank you, thank you! Now I can sleep in peace."

He hugged her back and released her. "Beautiful Supra – beautiful owner. How can I possibly resist?"

She pointed at Ming. "Who's he supposed to be?"

The smile disappeared from Koji's face. "You know my contact in Tokyo? The one who's doing business with Imiga's cousin?"

Yuri suddenly felt something plummeting in her stomach, like a bad omen. "He died," said Ming abruptly from behind her. She turned to face him. He had gotten to his feet and he was no longer grinning either. "In a car crash." He crumpled the packet. "He was my brother. And he was murdered."

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Thanks – once again – for the reviews! I wish I can mention everybody – you've all been very supportive! Cookies for everyone! For your info, _shou ga nai_ means 'it can't be helped'. I'm sorry that things have been pretty confusing last chapter. On with the story!

Disclaimer: you know the drill.

Chapter 4

Yuri gladly took back the wheel as Ming gave her directions back to his garage. Even though it had only been a three-day parting, she was quite sure that she could not bear to part from her Supra again. Especially not because it had helped her through so many things – not just races, but all the problems that never seem to fail to hound her. She could just get into it and drive off up the mountain's twisty roads and lose herself in the excitement of breaking the speed limit.

"Say, Ming, you don't happen to know if there's any hill here you can race up on?" she wondered aloud.

Koji snorted. "Hills? In Tokyo?"

"Sure there's a select few," said Ming before turning back and grinned at Koji who was sitting on the passenger's seat. "There's a reason why they say the best racers come from the Big Mikan."

"Yeah, but the best _drifters_ come from the mountains."

"That's pretty true. Say, Koji, you know a lot, too? You heard of the one currently reigning the Boshi drift scene?"

"No. Fill me in all about it."

"A drift scene?" said Yuri, sitting up straight and prepared to pay rapt attention to what Ming had to say.

Koji laughed. "Relax, Yuri. You've barely been a week here!"

Ming smiled. "So you're one of those wannabe racers who can't wait to topple the kings, huh, Yuri? You better watch your ego around here in Tokyo – they don't appreciate inflated newbies."

"Yuri's no newbie," said Koji with a hint of pride, "Back home in Hokkaido, every racer on the scene knows her name – she's the person to beat."

"Koji!" said Yuri, but inside she was a bit pleased. Sure, she was quite proud of her achievement – after all female racers barely made a scratch in the circle of elite drivers, but she had proven otherwise in her stints in Hokkaido. She'd won more than races – useful cash and pink slips and plenty of ready co-operation. Plus friendships – though more often than not they were dishonest, scheming ones. The only person she could readily trust was Koji.

Ming's eyebrows rose. "Sounds like you have a good resume. But your Supra'll stand out like a goose." He looked at her. "The Boshi crowd's crazy about - about the FD, the Fairlady especially, and mostly the S15; drift cars."

"Trust my ride," said Yuri with a laugh. "It's drift-worthy." And to prove her words, she ignored the red-light ahead of her and pulled into an abrupt and clean power slide across the T-junction into the left turn.

Ming whistled. "I think I believe you now, Koji."

* * *

"Turn in here," said Ming as Yuri turned into an alley lined by worn-down buildings - faded bricks, stained windows and all the hoopla. She gave him a funny look. "Where are we going exactly?"

He stared at her for a few seconds before turning away, a smile on his face. "If I wanted to fool you I wouldn't have let you drive. Take the right corner. You'll see pretty soon."

She gave Koji a wary glance, but he just shrugged.

She steered her car through the corner and her Supra suddenly jiggled. The road was so uneven that even her car's suspension was not able to fully absorb the road's bumpity-bumps. But the sight at the end of the alley was one worth the shakes and rattles.

A large warehouse stood before him, its façade just as tired-looking as its neighbours – yet it was hugely different; for it contained a full-fledged garage – hydraulic jacks, scattered toolboxes, mechanics, and most importantly: modified cars parked inside and outside the garage.

"Welcome to my safe house," said Ming. "Oh, and Yuri – you dropped your jaw."

Yuri quickly shut her gaping mouth. Koji sniggered.

She pulled her car to a halt at the entrance. Ming got out first, and two lanky, spiky-haired teenagers greeted him with "Hey, Ming"s.

"How's it goin'?"

"The Evo's all souped up."

"And Anbu just saved a Tiburon from the junkyard."

"V8 engine still intact."

"There's potential."

"But we're already drivin' S14s."

"Just sweeten it up and put it on my tab, won't you?"

"Sure thing, Ming."

"You got it, boss."

"Sweet. Now run along and play."

"Catch ya later."

"Amazing, no?" said Koji as he went to Yuri's side.

She nodded. "Not bad."

"His brother, Han was in the business as well. But Ming's got a bigger garage."

"How do you know?"

"I've done business with him," he said a little somberly, "Han. He was a great guy. Always letting me off the hook and getting me out of trouble. I didn't even get to pay him back the money I owe him."

"Hey, you two," said Ming, tilting his head in the direction of the garage. "Come in for a bit of hospitality. I'll get you acquainted with the guys." Then, probably an afterthought: "And girls too."

Koji followed, but Yuri couldn't will her legs to move. She couldn't afford another mistake – not when things had turned out so ugly the last time she gave her trust to a stranger. But Ming seemed like a good guy – light-brown (dyed, probably) shoulder-length hair, street swagger and all.

"Yuri," Koji called out her name.

She drew a deep breath and rolled her eyes. Oh, what the heck.

* * *

"So Yuri," said Ming after she had downed a can of Pepsi while getting herself acquainted with the garage's resident delinquents, "you want in on the Boshi scene?"

"Heck, of course! I can't wait to get cracking," she replied with a grin. "Tell me who's hogging the top spot."

"Girl," said Koji with a snort, "you're real bad, you know?"

Ming laughed. "He's a _gaijin_, and he drives an S15. Other than that, he used to be my brother's chum. He trained him – my brother was the teacher, that is."

"Is he any good?"

"You bet. There's a reason why he's the D.K. of Boshi."

"D.K.?"

"Drift King."

Yuri contemplated over it. A _gaijin_ D.K. Should be no sweat. "What the hell, there'll be a _D.Q_. in no time. Give me the details, Ming."

"You _are_ bad," said Ming with a shake of his head. "Boshi Supermarket, parking lot, ten p.m. The races officially start at eleven but people come as early as ten to show off their goods. When you coming?"

"Tomorrow," she promised.

He shrugged. "Deal. I'll meet you there."

"Koji?"

"Er, I kind of, uh, you know, left my Corolla back home . . ."

Ming dug about in his pockets and then threw something to Koji, who caught it smartly, though the look on his face was one that was stunned: not so smart.

"Take mine."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Sorry for the late update! Had my hands incredibly full with school projects and the like...

Disclaimer: You know.

Chapter 5

Yuri grabbed the keys to her Supra from underneath her mattress, pulled on an old grey sweater over her black sleeveless top and almost stumbled out of the closet. Before she slid the door close, she was about to switch off the lights, and hesitated when she saw Sean's empty mattress. The blankets were neatly folded and the pillows arranged at the head. He had been out for an entire day.

She frowned. "Dad, have you seen Sean?"

"No I haven't; not since this morning," he replied with a coy smile. "Are you missing him?"

She flushed. "No, I'm not! Dad – _honestly_!"

He chuckled. "Okay, okay then – on a more serious note though – why are you asking for him?"

"I'm not _asking_ for him – "

"Will you just answer the question?"

"Nothing," she replied simply, shrugging, "It's just, you know, haven't seen him all day. He comes home late and then disappears in the morning."

Dad sighed and put on his reading glasses and picked up the newspaper on the table. "He's a young man who's got his own life. I let him live it."

Her curiosity was piqued. "What kind of life?"

He gave her a sharp look. "How the heck should I know? And where do you think you're going?"

She picked up her schoolbag, which was lying against the wall next to the closet door. "I've got a – a school project. With some friends who're living in – er- Shibuya."

His eyebrows rose. "Oh? And it's something that can't wait until tomorrow afternoon?"

"No," she tried to keep a straight face. If he knew what she was really up to … she didn't think he'd ever let her out of the house without a chaperone. Or worse, but more likely – ground her.

He sighed again. "Okay, fine. 11 o'clock curfew."

"But Dad! It's 9! We'll never get it done in two hours."

He took off his glasses and frowned at her. "Then what time?"

"Er – 1 a.m.?"

"Midnight," he said firmly.

"Half past midnight," she added.

"Yuri Marie Boswell – "

"Okay, okay – half past midnight!" she shouldered her bag and dashed out the front door, closing it behind her as gently as she could.

* * *

Yuri walked several streets down to the nearest car-park centre to fetch her car. She was glad she brought her sweater; the autumn wind came in gusts and attacked her cheeks and fingertips.

She gave her number and receipt to the old man controlling the movements of the parking bays. As she stood and waited for her car to be found, another car parked outside the building. She turned around to find a jet-black Eclipse with a silver dragon etched into its sides. A striking green Corolla, its body decorated with a black-and-gold tribal design, pulled up behind the Eclipse and the cars simultaneously killed their engines.

A door opened in the Corolla, and out came Koji with a huge grin on his face. "Hey there, baby."

Ming emerged from the Eclipse and he tilted his head in greeting.

"What are you guys doing here?" she exclaimed.

"Girl – you're new town," said Ming with a slight smile, "you couldn't possibly have known where Boshi is in this huge megalopolis in the span of just two days."

"What if I do?" she challenged.

"Be realistic, Yuri," he replied. "By the way, your car's here."

She turned around and there it was. Her baby. Her Supra.

"Let's get this party started, baby!" hollered Koji, and he got back into his car. Yuri grinned at Ming before getting into hers and Ming, shaking his head, entered his car, and the three drove off into the neon-strewn light, kicking up smoke and squealing tires in their wake.

* * *

"So I was sayin' aight? You can't race the D.K. with a Trueno – he's drivin' an S15 – but the kiddo didn't listen – "

"And look what happened to him," finished Sean with a laugh. "Yeah, I got it, Twink – that's gotta be the hundredth time you've been tellin' me that."

Twinky shrugged. "Man, I'm a man of theatrics. Anyway I'm just tryin' to tell ya what you should be doin' with that wannabe's Trueno – "

"Hey, baby," said a familiar, honeyed voice, and Sean turned, all thoughts of a ten-second Trueno flying away in an instant. He grinned and kissed the exotic young woman who had greeted him on her lips, and he made sure it was a deep and satiating one.

"Hey yourself, beautiful."

"Ah, okay – I, er, gotta go and, er, maybe, you know, try and sell that God-forsaken Trueno – and uh," Twinky held up a hand, "it was awesome seein' you, Neela!" He hurried off at once, eager to leave the lovebirds to themselves.

"So," he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, "what've you been up to lately?"

Her beautiful smile faltered somewhat. "Excuse me?"

"What I mean is," he quickly added, "I kinda noticed the new spoiler."

Neela laughed. "Oh, you mean _that_."

"I'm not like him," he said in a low voice. Her smile disappeared altogether. He lowered his head towards her. "You gotta believe me when I say that. I'll never be him."

She drew a deep breath and looked away. "I know, Sean."

He smiled tentatively and kissed her cheek lightly. "I love you."

"Me too," she returned his kiss, this time on his lips.

Bass beats abruptly thronged throughout the basement and half the people, racer and spectator, cheered and made for the dance floor. He grinned at her. "Wanna dance?"

She giggled and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "Let's go."

* * *

From the outside, Boshi Supermarket was innocent enough – the humble neighbourhood façade, but in its basement car-park was a boombox exploding with tunes and beats crazier than those spun in Yuri's home turf in Hokkaido. She shook her head in wild amazement as she steered her car through the crowd of people surrounding their rides and rushing across the lanes to get to the dance floor, which was really several empty parking lots freed up with a DJ in the middle and four humongous speakers.

Yuri tore her eyes away from the party and focused on the rear end of Ming's Eclipse. From the look of things, they would be lucky to score a parking lot.

They finally found a relatively quiet corner inhabited by few cars, and its owners stood by them checking out their own engines and eyeing each other discreetly. Yuri noticed that most of them didn't have any visual fiesta, unlike the other cars in the main area.

_Newbies_, she thought with a shake of her head, but she pulled in anyway beside a plain navy-blue Skyline. Ming parked his Eclipse next to hers and beside him was Koji's borrowed Corolla. She killed her engine and got out. Ming nudged his chin at her. "So what do you think?"

She rolled her eyes. "That it sucks not being in the _in_ crowd."

Koji grinned and stood beside Ming. "Yuri, you know you gotta get used to second-class treatment as long as you're new here."

Ming tilted his head in the direction of the dance floor. "Are we gonna complain about our rotten luck or enjoy the rest of the night?"

Before Koji or Yuri could answer: "WHOA!"

All three whirled their heads around to see who had made that vehement exclamation. A punk with blonde mohawk, strode nonchalantly towards them, and he was accompanied by a further two punks. They wore black leather pantsuits underneath their black dusters. The punk who had spoken pointed his finger at Yuri's car.

"This your ride?"

"Yeah. So?"

The punk chuckled. "I want it."

"Go get your own."

"Trouble us," he sneered at her, "I want it – the easy way."

Koji smelt trouble at once. "Yuri – "

But it was too late. She unlocked her car, reached into the dashboard drawer and drew out a very important piece of paper. She held it up for the punk to see.

He whistled. "Pink slips, eh? Your Supra's no match against my souped-up Skyline. With V8 ENGINE!" The gang erupted in loud and noisy laughter.

"Yuri, don't be rash," said Koji in a warning tone, but Ming placed a hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Koji. I wanna see what the girl's got."

Yuri grinned at the punk. "Okay then. Should be easy, no?"

"You bet. Third floor in ten minutes." He waggled his eyebrows. "I can't wait to eat you up, baby babe."

"You'll go home starving," she hissed back at him.

* * *

Halfway through the song and just as Sean was beginning to feel the relaxed vibes pouring out of Neela, a bunch of girls, no, correction: Neela's chums, suddenly came squealing through the dancers and grabbed her hand. They twittered in rapid Japanese and he couldn't catch a single word. Neela's eyes widened and she exchanged a few sentences with them before turning towards him and said, "Sean, there's gonna be a race between a girl and one of those newbies up in the third floor."

His eyebrows rose nonchalantly. "So?"

"So?" she echoed incredulously. She took hold of his wrist and pulled him with her. "Let's go and watch! I'm rooting for the girl!"

"Wait! Hold a sec! We ain't done our dance yet."

"Sean!" she whirled around and folded her arms sternly, the pout on her luscious lips being the only thing separating her stance from that of a teacher's. "Dancing, we can do another day. A girl racing against a male – now that I gotta see. It's not every day it happens, you know!"

"Okay, okay, we go watch the race. Happy?"

"Sean!"

"What? Now we're goin', okay?"

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fast and Furious characters – and I cannot certify that the drift techniques are right, since I've never drifted myself. The drift action presented here was built on a lot of guesswork, mostly imagination. So if I've made a mistake, please correct me. I especially appreciated the correction on the Skyline engine.

Chapter 6

"Don't do this, Yuri," said Koji, hurrying after her. His advice fell on deaf ears. When Yuri Boswell had made up her mind, there was no turning back. He knew her all too well. But he also knew that she had pretty awful beginner's luck. Before she won her first race, she had sacrificed just about a dozen of his second-hand cars before finally winning the Supra she now drove.

"Yuri!" he tugged at her hand. She whirled around, her eyes ablaze. "Yuri, you can't do this! It's a Skyline he's got over there!"

"So?"

"So? Your Supra's nothing against it!"

"Koji – the punk changed its engine to a V8. How thick can he get?"

"Okay, maybe you're right, but – "

"Koji," she pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I know what I'm doing."

He stared at her for a few seconds, before saying, "I really hope you do. Because that 5-minute walk around the track isn't enough to win against a Skyline." And to show how disappointed he was with her, he shook his head and walked away into the crowd.

"Koji!" she called after him, but he didn't answer, nor did he even turn around to look at her. She bit her lip in frustration; he was her closest friend. They had been through so many ups and downs together, rose to the top of their game together, and now – had she changed?

Before she could make up her mind, Ming suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and slapped her wrist. "Hey, you any confident?"

"I – "

"You're at the starting line and you're suddenly feeling weak?"

She managed a grin. "No."

"Good. 'Cause he's here."

The Skyline revved up the ramp from the second floor and parked beside her Supra. The punk rolled down the window and grinned wolfishly at her. "What are you waiting for, honey?" he hollered. The burgeoning crowd, lining the sides of the track, went wild with excitement. Yuri couldn't tell who they were rooting for.

Her eyes met Ming's. "It's time," he said.

She drew a deep breath. "Okay."

"Good luck." They slapped wrists again and she got into her ride and turned on the engine. The Skyline beside her revved its engine, making the car vibrate with the power of its engine. It drew more screams and cheers and the punk eyed at her with a cocky smile. She rolled her eyes and proceeded to tie her black hair up in a ponytail. She kept her hair in that style whenever she could, and especially during a race.

One of the girls, dressed in a red tube top and tight faded jeans, sashayed to the front line and struck a pose. More clapping and hollering from the spectators. Yuri tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

The girl pointed to her right."Ready?"

"Ready!" the crowd chorused in response.

"Ready?" she turned to her left.

"READY!"

She winked at both drivers before putting up her arms, and bringing them down with a charged-up "GO!"

* * *

Sean and Neela had just stepped out of the crowded elevator to the third floor when he heard the sound of brakes being stepped on suddenly, heralding the drifting of two cars: one a metallic-maroon Supra with yellow tribal vinyls and the other a plain black Skyline. Sean turned just in time to catch the Supra make an early turn, followed moments later by the Skyline. The weight of its engine made the Skyline run wide, and probably because its driver wanted to avoid the Supra's nose as well. Both cars were treacherously, dangerously close, and even Sean the experienced drifter held his breath to watch for the outcome of that first-corner drift.

The Skyline's traction control kicked in only moments later than the Supra's, and that made all the difference. The Supra emerged clean out of the corner, its engine accelerating furiously to tackle the straight line in front of it. Sean couldn't help but whistle and nod in approval. At the end of the straight was another turn, and the Supra braked early before, tires screeching with smoke, it drifted.

* * *

Yuri was having, almost, the time of her life. The drift at the first corner was awesome: proving that her latest setup worked well with the circuit. She had sacrificed a bit of acceleration for traction control, but it was well worth it. The second corner loomed in front of her, and she gripped the handbrake.

_1, 2, 3 –_

She turned the steering wheel hard, and feeling the engine on the verge of over-revving, let go of it slightly and caught it once more, to avoid over-steering. The corner was a wide turn and her Supra slid right through it to make a clean cut. Yuri could feel the pressure on her tires, threatening to slip out of her control and straight into the wall, but, as always it did, the traction control saved her drift.

Behind her, the Skyline did not do so well. It came out of the same corner wobbling. She managed a tight smile. The car deserved a better owner. Another corner came up before her, and, using the usual timing, she changed gears, braked hard, yanked the steering wheel to the right, lifted her foot off the gas pedal for only a few seconds before flooring it again.

_- 4, 5, 6_

She expected the traction control to hit, but it didn't. Her car was nearing the wall, and fast. _Come on, traction! _Apparently it decided to take a short break. She cringed and waited for the impact –

SCREEEEEECH – the crowd booed at the unimpressive display of pyrotechnics as the spoiler of her Supra chafed against the wall, but amazingly, the car continued moving. She pulled out of the corner with a relieved sigh.

That was close.

* * *

Koji caught sight of the sparks flying about as Yuri's spoiler hit the wall. The drag on her car caused the car to lose speed, and it quickly closed the gap on the punk's Skyline. He shook his head. He really hoped she knew what she was doing. Although the Skyline's driver was not very experienced, he knew, at least, how to cut a clean drift on a circuit he knew better than her.

"The Supra looks familiar," a male voice said behind him in Japanese. Eyes widening, he turned around instantly and found its owner.

"Remember me, Koji?" he grinned. "Imiga hasn't forgotten you." He nudged in the direction in which another set of squealing tires could be heard, "nor that Boswell girl."

Koji tried to think of something smart to reply, but he found that it would be wiser for him to keep his mouth shut.

Imiga smirked. "I thought so. You're not so clever, Koji, as her." He pointed to his right. Koji forced himself to look. A group of men, possibly five of them, stood near a pillar. They were all dressed in black leather jackets and wore black shades. Upon seeing him, they simultaneously cracked their fists. Koji gulped, and Imiga laughed.

He leaned closer towards Koji and whispered in his ear, "Tell Yuri that I still want that money," and with a sinister grin, "and I miss her. So much." He straightened up. "I'll be seeing you around."

* * *

_The final leg! _thought Yuri, grinning widely. The ramp up to the rooftop loomed closer several more meters to her right. Behind her, the Skyline was fast catching up. The punk had been impressively consistent all through out the race, never losing sight of him from her rearview mirror.

She made a quick gauge on the distance, and made her move. She changed the gear, pulled on the hand brake and jerked the steering wheel to her right. Her Supra neared the ramp and suddenly Yuri had a feeling in her gut that it wouldn't make the cut. She had approached it too late.

But still…

She held on to the wheel as her car, remarkably, managed to pull off a power slide while ascending the ramp. Her spoiler, once again, took the another toll off the wall, sparks flying. In ten seconds, the climb was over and, as if released from a heavy bondage, Yuri turned the Supra around and did a 360 before properly coming to a halt, smoke rising up around her tires.

She punched the air as she fell back onto her seat. That was unbelievable. She did it! She shook her head to clear her mind and took a few deep breaths before emerging from her ride. She couldn't wait to see the look on Koji's face.

* * *

Sean had always appreciated the crowd that usually greeted the winning racer, especially because they knew who the D.K. was and bothered to show him respect. As he and Neela emerged from the elevator and onto the rooftop, the Supra did a little leap out of the ramp and performed a 360 before stopping. He clapped and so did Neela. This racer knew how to please the crowd.

"Come on," said Neela, pulling his hand again for the third time that night. "I wanna see who won!"

_Yeah, me too_, he thought with a smile, but he didn't care to tell her because she couldn't possibly have heard him through the din of the people cheering for the victor. The spectators saw him coming and made way for him, some grinning and nodding and some saying, "D.K.-san!"

At the front of the crowd, he caught up with Twinky, who was counting money with the utmost glee. "Where did you get that?"

"This? This booty?" Twinky held up his wad of cash. "Bets, man! I bet with thirteen people that the chick would win. And I won! Ha! The bet, of course."

"I wonder who's this girl," said Sean. "Why she ain't out yet?"

"Man, give her a breather, will ya?" winked Twinky.

He laughed, but his good mood rapidly vanished when the door to the Supra opened, and he saw who the chick was. He would recognize his half-sister anywhere.

"I don't believe this," he muttered to himself.

* * *

Yuri had never gotten so much reception after winning a race. The next thing she knew she was being surrounded by swarms of people who wanted to high-five her, shake hands with her, take a picture of her and her Supra, and some guys even had the nerve to slip their numbers into her fingers, but she tried to treat them all the same.

Suddenly, the crowd went quiet and she saw the punk coming towards her, looking downcast but stubborn.

"I can't give my car to you."

Boos and insults were thrown at the punk, but, without even thinking, Yuri held up a hand to silence them, and when she realized she had done that she wondered how she got the nerve to do it. In Hokkaido, she could get away with it because she was number one there, but here she was just a newbie.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I spent a lot of money on it," the punk blurted out to more boos. "It's my first ever car! My parents paid for half of its price!"

Yuri narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?" That silenced the crowd. "This is the street racing scene, man. You want money, you want respect, you gotta play by the rules. And that means sticking to the deal."

"Yeah!"s and "Show him!"s echoed all through out the crowd.

"But – "

She shook her head slowly. "No, it's too late. You should have thought about it sooner before you agreed to race."

"Please give me a chance!"

"Modifying cars isn't cheap and we both know it," she said quietly, and the crowd hushed, "A lot of money, time and effort went into this ride, and I intend to earn them all back. That's why I race for _pink slips_, honey. I don't do it for fun."

The crowd clapped and cheered and whistled and hollered. She walked towards him and held out her hand. "I think I've made my point. Keys, please."

* * *

"Was that necessary, girl?" said Ming, who approached her after the crowd has somewhat broken up. Yuri pocketed the keys to the Skyline and shrugged. "This is how I do business. It's nothing personal."

He grinned. "You're something, you know?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Excuse me?"

He leaned against her Supra. "I don't meet many girls like you who play things this tough."

She laughed and copied his position. "It's a survival instinct. I guess I've kinda got myself used to it."

"How?"

She hesitated before answering, "It was really tough, where I started racing. The punks that ruled the scene used to pick on newbies like me, especially those that did business with the _yakuza_. They think they're so great, you know, like they own everything. I hated that. A lot. I borrowed cars from Koji's junkyard and stuffed all kinds of engines that I assembled together from scraps into them. I kept racing and losing, I nearly gave up." She drew a shaky breath. "But I got my lucky break. One day, Koji and his gang hauled in a toasted Supra with its fine engine in it." She smiled and looked fondly at her ride. "I patched it up, tearing out parts from other cars, gave it a paint job. The very first night I raced it I was practically flying! I never had a better car – it felt so reliable. I knew I could depend on it. That night itself I won a Fairlady from one of the _yakuza_ punks. Boy, were they mad!" She laughed nervously.

"If you've got a Fairlady then why aren't you driving it?" asked Ming. "It's one of the best drift cars around."

"I know – but it's got amazing value – and I needed the money. So I sold it." She smiled. "I sold all the cars I ever won – only this Supra is worth keeping."

"Sentimental value?" he offered with a grin.

She shrugged. "I guess you can say so." She looked around and suddenly remembered something. "Say, Ming – is the _gaijin_ D.K. here, by any chance?"

"You see that one heck of a babe there?" he pointed in a direction. "Wearing the cute little denim skirt? Her name's Neela. Right beside her in the black tee is him."

Her eyes widened. It couldn't be … that American git could drift? "It can't be right!"

He laughed. "Everybody thought so too, at first, you know? They think that drifting should be an all-Japanese affair. But like the Gulf War, they have this weird tendency to get their hands in everything."

"EVERYBODY GET YOUR THING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!" Yuri jumped, startled, wondering what the hell was going on – but it turned out that it was only the voice of the DJ, signaling the start of the party on the rooftop. Furious bass beats pumped out of the speakers sandwiching the DJ and the turntable. Ming laughed. "Girl – the look on your face!"

She blushed. She must have looked like an idiot.

"Relax, honey." He took her hand gently and said, "Wanna dance?"

* * *

Author's footnote: Whew! An extra long chapter for me! And I hope that it's just as good as the others. Hopefully the racing scenes were comprehensible – it took a lot of guessing! As always, do review!

* * *

And can anybody help me with the summary? I think I need a better one! Thanks y'all! 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Sorry for taking such a long time to update! As usual, I hope that this chapter is digestable... Anyhow, the song that's featured in this chapter (during the dance scene) is from the soundtrack: Teriyaki Boyz - Cho Large. Have a listen to it - it's a good song. I am thinking of inserting songs into chapters...let me know what you think, okay guys:-)

Chapter 7

"Wanna dance?"

Yuri stared at him for some seconds, probably because she was surprised. She couldn't remember the last time a guy had asked her to dance. A good-looking guy, at that. But her last relationship had ended in anger and bitter resentment. Should she accept this little gesture, this little reminder?

"Yuri," he said again, this time, more tenderly. "I'm not gonna eat you up, okay?"

She laughed. What the heck. "Who says I'm afraid? Let's go."

The opening, high-charged beats ended, and a sultry voice whispered from the speakers: "_You're so crazy, you're so crazy, you're so cra-cra-cra you're so crazy…"_

Ming grinned. "I know this song." He took her hand and guided her to the dance floor. She followed without much resistance, and she couldn't resist a coy smile. She turned around and snuggled into his arms as he wrapped them around her waist from behind. And together, they swayed and danced to the hypnotic music, drowning out the troubles of the past, present, and future.

After a while, when he was sure that she was comfortable with him, his hands moved up and down the sides of her body, caressing the contours of her silhouette and sending thrills of pleasure shooting through her mind. She smiled and sighed in pure ecstasy.

_Don't stop_.

She nestled herself deeper into his warmth. Returning the favor, her hands reached up to bring his neck down so that his face was close to hers. His lips touched the nape of her neck ever so gently, and the combined sensation of fire and ice made her skin tingle. She turned around and they engaged in a battle to keep their lips apart, longing to meet and join, but held back in a spar of teasing. He stroked her neck and her face lovingly while she put her hands around his waist and brought him closer.

"_You're so crazy, you're so crazy, you're so cra-cra-cra you're so crazy…"_

So c_razy indeed._

Their foreheads touched as they gazed deep and full into each other's eyes. And Yuri found herself wanting to open her heart to this man, to let him in into the deepest facet of her soul. Their breaths were ragged and heavy; it was taking them all their willpower to retain their firm grips on their self-control. In Ming's dazed eyes, she saw a burning flame of desire. She knew, she longed for him as well, but –

"It's getting late," she said abruptly. At first it was a mere excuse to break away from the enticing thoughts playing and dancing in each other's minds, but she took one look at her watch and realised that she had done it: she had broken the golden rule sat by Dad.

Her watch read: 1.15 A.M.

* * *

She slid the door open as silently as possible, shutting her eyes and dreading the tell-tale creak that usually came with old doors. Hearing none for the first few seconds, she applied more pressure and –

_Screeeeeeeeech_

"Shit," she muttered. But the damage had been done. She stepped into the house with an apprehensive foot and peeked inside. The lights were out and it was total darkness inside. She could hear the sound of a kettle boiling from the kitchen where the single bulb hung forlornly. But other than that…

She slipped into the house and shut the door with as much patience as possible, cringing when she heard the screech again, but hopefully Dad was asleep, and that the horrible creak was some sort of a sweet music to him. After all, how can you live in Tokyo for so long and not get used to the industrial music?

Yuri was just about to turn around and sneak to her room when a light came on in the living room.

"It's 1.30 a.m.," growled Dad from the armchair. She turned around. That's it. Caught by the slyer fox.

"The – uh, the project took longer than I expected," she said lamely.

He picked up a beer bottle from the small table next to him and took a swig from it before setting it down again. "You could have called."

"Then what?" she challenged.

"Then I could have let you sleepover at your friend's house." He tilted his head. "Or were you doing something else?"

Her face hardened. "No, Sir."

Now it was his turn to frown. "I told you, no 'Sirs' with me."

"That was ten years ago, Dad. You don't have any right to decide what I choose to say anymore."

"Oh yeah?" he stood. "Who made up that rule?" When she didn't reply, he continued in an angry voice, "I may not be married to your mom anymore but in the birth certificate I'm still your father. And as long as my name is in there, and as long as you're staying under my roof, it stands."

She had never felt more bitter towards him. "Then I'll go."

"What did you say?"

"If living here means following your – your stupid rules – "

"Yuri – use your head! No girl should be outside at one in the morning!"

"I can take care of myself! I don't need you to tell me what to do and what not to do!"

That earned an almighty slap.

She glared at him, putting a hand to her stinging cheek and fighting back the tears that threatened to flow. She won't show him that she was upset. She won't give him the pleasure of knowing how much it actually hurt her: physically and emotionally.

"Go and sleep. You wouldn't want to be late for school tomorrow," he grumbled and pointed at the door of her room.

She stormed into the closet, opening the door forcefully and slamming it just as hard. She crawled to her own mattress, snuggled in its warmth and finally let the tears flow.

* * *

Some hours later, just as her mind was hovering between sleep and consciousness, the closet door slid open and heavy footsteps thudded into the room. And as if that was not enough, that someone turned on the lights as well.

"Bloody hell," she muttered and shielded her eyes from the light. "It's not morning yet."

" 'Course it isn't," replied the familiar, annoying voice.

She opened her eyes and saw Sean taking off his white shirt, his back facing her. She shut her eyes at once. "That's gross! Can't you do it elsewhere? You're not the only one using this room you know."

"Gee, as if I hadn't realised that."

"Har har," she said sullenly and tried to go to sleep again but the light was unbearable. She never could sleep with the lights on.

"Hey, hey you," he shook her shoulder. "Hey look at me. I got a question for you."

"Not in your life," she retorted back.

"I'm dressed, okay?"

She opened her eyes and saw that he had put on a clean grey T-shirt. She blew a sigh of relief. "Okay, that's better." Her stare met his and still she couldn't believe that this was the _gaijin_ D.K. Ming had told her about. This idiot didn't look as if he could haul a Fairlady to the finish line.

"What?" she asked tartly.

He sat down on his own mattress. "I saw you at Boshi today. You were racin' a Supra against a Skyline."

Yuri pursed her lips. "What made you think it was me?"

He narrowed his eyebrows. "I'd recognise you anywhere."

"Out of a hundred other Jap girls?"

"Out of the whole bunch only ten or so actually race. And they all flaunt their goodies." He nudged at her old, grey sweater and jeans."You kinda stood out you know."

She eyed him warily. "And you're talking as if I don't know that you're the D.K. there?"

Now it was his turn to squirm. "What are you goin' ta do about it? I'm old enough to do this. You're still in school. Ergo: underaged."

Fury was slowly building up in her. "You don't understand and you never will."

"Oh yeah? About what?"

She shook her head slowly. "I have to do this."

"No, you don't. You bein' out there is askin' for trouble."

"Look here, mister! I'm sick of people tellin' me what I should do and what I shouldn't do!" she rose her voice. "It's my life. And I do whatever I want."

He threw his hands up in the air, feeling equally angry. "You don't understand, do ya? If the Lieutenant finds out about you hittin' the streets, he'd blow up. And your life's over, you get it?"

"So you're volunteering for culprit, aren't you?" she said bitterly. "You just call yourself a D.K. But deep down beneath all your goody-ass shit, you're just as bad as the _yakuza_."

His face hardened. "I'm no _yakuza_."

"Oh yeah?" she laughed bitterly. "I know those types: arrogant, always thinking that they could scare people off by threatening them, talking as if everybody owes them a million dollars. Oh believe me, I know. There's no way in hell you could have paid for the garage of modified cars sitting in Shibuya right now. "

"I gotta earn a little bit of dough every now and then," he said between clenched teeth. "But I'm tellin' you, I ain't no _yakuza._"

She snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Why don't we call it a truce?" he said coldly.

She glared at him, but what was she to lose? She needed the opportunity to race, she needed the cash. Bad.

"Fine. But don't think I'm off your tail just yet."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno; being D.K. sounds really nice."

He grinned cunningly. "Come and get it if you want. Don't cry if you fall down the stairs."

She smirked. "I'll make you eat your words, cowboy."

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: I apologise again for the late shipment…

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Fast and Furious series.

Chapter 8

School was crappy, as usual, and Yuri barely paid any attention to what her teachers teaching (she perked up only during Math because it was her favourite subject). Her Literature teacher caught her staring out of the window and duly rapped her long ruler on her table, making Yuri jump and drop her notebook along with her pen.

"Yuri Boswell! If I catch you daydreaming again … " and Yuri just nodded absently as Mrs. Tekinawa screeched in Japanese about paying attention in her class and its consequences in the form of cleaning out the _boys_ washroom with the class riot, Ogi, much to the amusement and sniggers of her classmates.

On her way out to lunch, Ogi nudged her in the elbows and waggled his eyebrows. "Care to join me in the toilets after school?"

She eyed him irritably. "No."

He laughed aloud and sprinted for the cafeteria with his gang of cackling friends.

So you couldn't imagine her immense relief and delight on seeing Koji leaning against the green Corolla he loaned from Ming in front of her school gates.

"Koji!" she exclaimed. "You can't imagine how happy I am to see you – but what are you doing here?"

She would have expected at least a faint smile from him, but Koji's face was anything but cheerful that particular day. Still frowning, he tilted his head in the direction of his car. "Get in."

After a few minutes of silence in the car, Yuri finally braved herself to speak up. "Koji, is anything wrong?"

He sighed heavily as he turned into a junction, narrowly missing the red light.

"Koji?" she pressed again.

"We're in deep shit, Yuri," he said miserably.

She sat up straight in her seat. "Excuse me?"

He glanced at her, his face ashen. "You heard me. Guess who found us?"

She stared at him back in pure, undisguised disbelievement as slowly, inch by inch, realisation sank into her consciousness.

"Imiga," she whispered.

The grim look on his face confirmed it all for her.

"Oh God," she covered her face with her hands and sank back into the seat. _Oh God, oh God, oh God, _she squeezed her eyes shut, _how the heck did he manage to find me here? I'd wiped clear of any traces, any footprints._ How, oh how?

"He found us at Boshi," said Koji again. "He's not about to let us go until we pay it all back." He looked at Yuri intently as he pulled the car to a stop at a traffic light. "Why don't you try giving him the Skyline? Ming and I hauled it back to his garage when you left suddenly last night."

She shook her head. "It's not just the money he's after. It's me he wants." She stared back at Koji. "He's mad at me for walking out on him."

"Yuri, if you'd stayed with him any longer God knows what else he's gonna do to you!"

She sighed tiredly. "Koji – "

"He hurt you, girl! Did you forget that?"

"How can I?" she exploded. "You think that I'm about to forget what he did to me for as long as I live? Oh, Koji – oh God, what am I gonna do?"

"Maybe Ming can help us – "

"No," she said firmly. "No, we can't tell him."

"C'mon Yuri, his brother used to do business with Imiga's cousin. Maybe he can settle this with us."

"No," said Yuri again, gritting her teeth, "I'm not gonna drag him into this whole mess. It's my mess, and I'm going to resolve this once and for all."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

She didn't answer him, but just went on gazing at the traffic passing them by through the window. Koji was worried for her; he knew it would be best for her stubborn sake to enlist Ming's help; for all she knew, Ming could be just about the only one to drag them out of the rut with Imiga.

But being her friend, Koji decided to keep his mouth sealed until if things went spiraling out of even his hands. Yuri would skin him alive if he ever spilled the beans to Ming.

* * *

Not even the sight of her Supra could carve a smile onto her face. If anything, the sight of her scraped spoiler made her frown even more. More money would have to be spent to repair it, and actually right now, she didn't have any money except lunch allowances from the Lieutenant.

But seeing Ming installing an engine into a Fairlady, bare-chested, made her giggle ever so slightly. Koji noticed her tipsiness and wondered what had happened in the space of time when he had left her 'untended to' after the race.

Ming looked around him just in time to catch her walking towards him. He grinned. "Hey, gorgeous."

Yuri looked down on her uniform. "So this idiotic piece of clothing really looks good on me, huh?"

He took her wrists gently in his greasy hands and kissed the tips of her fingers. "Well, I'll say."

"You don't look too bad yourself," she whispered back. Could she help herself if she wanted to flirt with a man as hot as he was? Could it hurt if she took just one step back and let herself indulge in his attention? _Even after what happened with him?_

He kissed the tip of her nose. "I know I'm freaking your innocent schoolgirl self out. I'll go and put something on."

"Don't," she said without thinking, and he stopped and raised his eyebrows curiously. She managed a smile. "I mean… you look just fine this way."

"Too bad you can't bare your soul like me," he said. "Anyway, I don't feel like being half-naked anymore."

"And I can't stop you, can I?" she called after him as he disappeared into his living quarters. What was she thinking? Just a couple of days knowing this guy and already they were acting like a couple? She shook her head and went to her Supra, opening its hood. Yesterday when she raced, its handling didn't feel as hard as she would have liked it to be. And her engine rev recovered a little too slow for her taste after coming out of Boshi's sharp hairpins. The Skyline could have pulled out of the corner so much faster than her Supra, given the right driver.

Speaking of the Skyline… she turned her head to her right and caught the midnight-black pack of muscle sitting docilely by the wall of the garage. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have an R32 in her crew.

But if she kept it, how would she ever pay Imiga back?

"Decisions, decisions," said Ming suddenly from behind her. Caught completely off guard, she turned around instantly. He had put on a respectable black T-shirt. He smiled at her mischievously. "Can't make up your mind on keeping him?"

"Him?" she repeated blankly.

He laughed. "The R32, baby. What else am I talking about?"

She laughed as well, albeit a little nervously. "I don't know; maybe because the norm is to call a car a she?"

"Good point," he replied, "But the R32 is pretty boxy for a girl. But if you add a Veilside at the rear and pump up his ass, I think he'll pass."

She snorted. "Yeah, right. And where on earth are you going to get a Veilside body kit? Even if you get your hands on one of them you'd have to fork out a lot of money."

Ming smiled gently and said, "If you're serious about keeping that Skyline, I'll get you one."

She drew a deep breath and averted her eyes. She didn't want to owe him anything. It was bad enough that she still owed Imiga a sum that never seemed to dwindle, what with his expensive and unreasonable interest rates. But there was something deeper in that offer too. By making that promise, he was actually talking about commitment. He was committing himself to her.

As thrilling as it felt, it was also pretty scary.

"I – " but she didn't get to say that she would think about it. Her K700i buzzed in her skirt pocket and she took it out. On the screen was an unknown number. Frowning, she pressed the YES button and said tentatively, "Hello?"

"Hi baby. Remember me?"

She quickly scrambled to hang up but before she could do that she heard Imiga say, "Hush, baby, hush. It's not polite to hang up on an old… flame."

"What do you want?" she tried to keep as calm as possible.

He laughed. "You still owe me, Yuri. Big time."

"How did you get my number?"

"You of all people should be expecting this as soon as you touch down in Tokyo."

She smiled apologetically at Ming and walked away. She didn't want him to overhear any part of the conversation from her side. Imiga was something she'd like to keep in the dark. "Okay, you caught me and I'm not going to repeat myself. What do you want?"

"What do I want?" he laughed again. "Let's see… money, cars, and you." After a pause, he resumed, drawling, "Look, baby, can we meet up somewhere – private? Then we can discuss our – hmm, terms?"

Yuri shook her head furiously. Experience had taught her to avoid every single meeting place he set. "No."

"Oh, what the heck, Yuri? What were you thinking? A little storage room with a nice couch for us to get comfy?" His hoarse laugh came again. "No, you naughty girl – I mean the little restaurant selling octopus ramen just a few streets down from the garage you're in right now." Her heart skipped a few beats. He actually knew where he was. What else did he know? Did he know about Ming? About where she lived? About her father?

She had to get this done. She had to settle this once and for all.

"Deal," she said firmly.

"Great. How about in fifteen minutes' time?"

"Fine with me. No tricks, Imiga."

"Tricks?" he chuckled, and it sent the familiar chills down her spine. "Oh no, baby girl, just business. You can bring that silly old lapdog you call a sidekick."

"Koji's not a lapdog," she hissed into the phone, angry tears biting at her eyes.

He only laughed. "Fifteen minutes, baby. Don't be late."

Author's second note: Another chappie, but not so eventful I'm afraid. I'd like a few second opinions from the readers – what do you guys want to happen after this chapter? I'm not having a case of writer's block – but I'd love some feedback! Thankie thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

Songs of the day:

**Part 1: Move Along** by All American Rejects. **Part 2: You Must Follow **by Stratus

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from The Fast and Furious movies, just the liberty to manipulate them to my will. MUAHAHA

Chapter 9

Yuri found Koji studying the engine layout of the Fairlady, listening and nodding as Koto, who went to the same school as she did, briefed him about what he planned to do with this Fairlady, his first ever car. "Hey Koji," she said, interrupting Koto. "Sorry, Koto, can I borrow him for a sec?"

Koto smiled, "Sure, anything for D.K.'s girl."

She raised her eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," said Koji hurriedly and he waved to Koto as he drew Yuri to one side, far out of Koto's earshot. "What is it?"

"Imiga called me," she said quietly.

His eyes widened. "What? But – how?"

"He always has a way," she replied, sighing. "There's no escape from him this time, Koji. He wants to meet us at some neighbourhood octopus ramen shop."

"Ooo-kay. So we're going now?"

"Yep, let's get crackalacking and see what we can do."

"But what if this is a trap?" he grabbed her arm before she could take two steps towards her Supra.

"Do we have a choice?" she shot back at him. He let go of her upon grim comprehension and acceptance. She was just about to open the door of her ride when she thought about Ming. "Wait a sec," she told Koji.

She ran to where Ming was tinkering with a set of titanium valve springs, with Koto and a girl called Shizu observing him, and drew him away from his work.

"What's up, baby?" he said with a smile.

"Koji and I are going out to grab something to… eat."

He laughed. "Why so serious? I don't get jealous if you go out with your best friend for food." He kissed her cheek. "Loosen up, Yuri."

Unexpectedly, she found herself so touched by his simple gesture that she returned his kiss, only on his lips, ever so gently and teasingly. It ended as soon as it began. "Thanks," she whispered, breathless.

"No problem," he breathed into her ear, and the tingling thrill lingered over her lips and neck even when she and Koji had buckled themselves in her Supra and went on their way to meet the pillar of Hokkaido's junior _yakuza._

The octopus ramen shop was a tiny establishment with traditional bamboo screen doors and stained windows. Outside the shop, five silver Skyline R32s were parked, each with individual black pinstripes. At the front of the line of R32s was an R34, and it stood out from the rest. Yuri recognized it as Imiga's: his Skyline had the trademark fang-like body kit at the front bumper and a glossy black claw on its body. She parked her Supra in front of the shop beside the rendezvous and she and Koji got out, each sweating with anxiety. Yuri removed her school badge, tie and coat and stowed them away in the dashboard.

She slid the door open to the little ramen shop and a cockroach scuttled across the grubby tiled floor. A Japanese _nori_'s high-pitched voice wailed out from an old radio by the counter. The only customers in the shop that afternoon were an old man chewing at the leg of a squid; and a troop of six men wearing black bandannas around their forehead occupying the inmost row of tables. All except Imiga.

Yuri and Koji exchanged nervous glances and went up to them. Halfway there, Imiga, who sat one head of the row of tables, grinned and stood. "Yuri," he said loudly, and she cringed upon hearing his voice up close again. It brought back awful memories and broken promises and hatred, as well as a small degree of fear. She kept silent.

"Why the long face, old friend?" he said again, his wolfish grin never leaving his face. "Sit, Yuri, sit. And Koji, you may stand." Koji only grunted. Yuri stood opposite him, but she didn't take the chair vacated for her.

After seeing her refusal, Imiga's grin became fixed. "I said sit, Yuri. It's not polite for a guest to deny her host's kind offer."

"I don't plan on staying long here," she said coldly, "We get the gory details settled and I'm outta here."

Imiga laughed. "Oh, Yuri, you are a fool, but a lovable fool. You knew full well, didn't you, that once with us is like going to jail for life? Mothers always advise their daughters that… but no, I don't think your mother quite got the job done, did she?"

Yuri gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "How much do I owe you now?"

He laughed once again. "Yuri, let's not think in terms of that, shall we? If I were to tell you, you would faint; yes, even with my reasonable interest rate. But I have a solution; no, actually two choices. If you sit on that chair and consent to playing the exemplary guest then I will tell it to you."

Yuri didn't like the sound of it one bit, but she sat anyway. She had to get this done and over with.

"Me coming to Tokyo isn't just for you alone, mind you, eh, Yuri?" Imiga began, with his slimy grin, "I'm here on business – for my Uncle Kamata – you remember him don't you, Yuri? He gave us his blessings and even offered to sponsor us a full traditional ceremony – "

"Can you please get to the point?" she said bluntly.

Imiga chuckled. "Patience, Yuri, patience! Anyway, I will be in town for a few months – and if I do exceedingly well Uncle Kamata will put me in my cousin Takashi's place… which is a great honour for me. But to do that, I must recover all the money that has been lost when Takashi had to leave town after a damning race with some… _gaijin_," at that Imiga's face scrunched up, "and left his turf unguarded."

"Oh I get it," said Yuri monotonously, "you're looking for a promotion."

He grinned. "Smart girl. But that's a lot of money I have to get back – two years worth of debts, you know. I have to claim the money back... collect more modal," he smiled sweetly at her. "You know, the works. And I have a strategy. I don't know what you'll think of it but – I need a racer, someone to represent me, someone who's really competent and knows what she's doing…" he looked directly at her, his grin growing bigger and more crooked, "and who better than you?"

"You're crazy," she blurted out instantly, "I'm a schoolgirl. I've half the experience of other racers in Tokyo." She stood so quickly and forcefully that her chair fell to the floor with a crash. "Get yourself a – a D.K. or something like that. Here I'm still a newbie, so you'll likely see your reputation go down the drain than making some real money."

"You want to know why, Yuri?" he said. "Because I saw you win in your first ever race in Boshi with your Supra – against an R32. Your car's a mere Supra – other drivers don't race like you, Yuri. With you, you can bring any car to victory." He paused. "That's why. And besides," he added, grinning again, "I need a girl to make me look and feel good."

She shook her head in disgust, but she realised that there was not much of another solution left. Even if she kept on racing and winning cash, her debt to him would never lessen. The debt started by her coke-crazy mother.

"Come on, Yuri," said Imiga in a cajoling and cooing tone, "make your decision."

She looked despairingly at Koji. "I say you just walk away from this, Yuri," that was all he could say.

"Walk away?" echoed Imiga. "Oh no, Koji, I've thought about that a lot sooner than any of you did."

"What do you mean?" asked Yuri.

"You know what I'm capable of doing when I mean to do it," he answered with a smirk, taking his cell phone out of his coat pocket and flipping it open. He activated the video call function and showed it to her. She narrowed her eyes and her jaw dropped ever so slightly. Displayed on the screen was her mother, tied and gagged, her eyes wild and screaming with terror.

Her hands shook. At last, she tore her eyes away from the screen and fought back tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"She was very glad to come with us, just so you should know," said Imiga, his wolfish grin returning to his smug face, "Thinking we'd give her more stuff, just like we'd used to – and she even told us to put it all under your tab. But of course that whole scene – the tying and all – I just set it up to push you in the right direction. But if you slip," his voice turned steel cold and deadly dangerous, and Yuri could feel her blood run cold, "slip just a little bit – and she's dead. You got that?"

Her breath shivered, but she plucked the courage and strength to nod. As much as she hated her mother for 'loaning' coke from Imiga and his troops, she _was_ her mother. She couldn't just stand there and let her mother die, just because she hated his guts.

"I'm sorry, Yuri, I didn't hear anything from you?"

"Okay," she said at last. "Done."

"So easily?"

"But if you ever, ever hurt her – "

"I won't, honey," he assured her, but with his smirk, she didn't believe him, but what choice did she have? "I call, you show up; I call you to race, you race; I wanna grab you anywhere I like, you shut up; if you lose your car in a pink-slip race, no car in the next race, your mother goes; understand?"

Yuri swallowed the bile with as little expression as she could display, and forced herself to nod, her vision already started to blur.

"Good!" he exclaimed and clapped his hands once. "So we begin tomorrow?" He did a gesture. "I'll call you with the details. Okay, you can go and enjoy your last day of freedom." He laughed, and his obnoxious crew hooted and snickered as well. Yuri stormed out of the shop, holding back the tears until she was safely in her Supra, where she wept in utter despair on Koji's shoulder.

Author's note: Whew! Pretty dramatic chapter for me… I hope it was all right and Imiga's characterization struck the fine balance between being nasty and reasonable. Thanks for your kind reviews and your suggestions! I will try to incorporate all of them in the following chapters. Until the next chapter; ciao and enjoy!


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: I am extremely, absolutely and profusely sorry – I had exams the previous month and will have a very important exam in another month, so I haven't time to update. For those who are still following the story – thanks for being patient!

Chapter 10

Two days after the meeting with Imiga, Yuri received her first assignment. She accepted it without much feeling, no shock registering in her mind, just a dull thud hitting the pits of her stomach. Usually, Yuri was excited about races – her blood would race and her heart skip a nervous beat over the very thought of it. But tonight, nothing mattered to her. Everything seemed to be a very brief and flitting blur. Only Ming lingered longer in her spiritless mind than the other things, even Koji.

Boshi was packed, as usual, but there was a new presence. The scene picked up a new presence in town – a presence that smelt heavily of _yakuza_ and obnoxious sneers at the owners of Truenos and S13s. Mutters and whispers floated all about the parking lot, spreading caution about these newcomers who seemed to consider themselves the king of the scene. Sure they were new, but they looked dangerous enough to be taken seriously.

"Hey Sean!" said Twinky, fighting and winding his way in and out of the crowd as he tried to reach him. Both Sean and Neela looked up from the exposed hood of her car – Neela had installed a new engine and was looking for his approval, and he was about to have his say when Twink interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"You seen the newbies yet?"

Sean laughed. "Twink, these people show up every day. You don't expect me to keep tabs on everyone do ya?"

"Man, as if I don't know da 'duty' and 'burden' of a D.K.," said Twink with a sarcastic twitch of his mouth. "These people are different. They walk around in groups and they got a head. People say that they're, you know - _yakuza_." Twink waited for an effect.

Sean frowned. "So whaddaya want me ta do about it? Chase them off? Sayin' that this is my turf and put up da 'NO TRESPASSING' sign?" Twink opened his mouth to retort but Sean had shook his head and said, "I don't have a right ta do that, Twink. They can come and go as they please. It's a free country." He returned his attention to Neela's car.

Twink's jaw dropped. "Man – Sean – you can't do this man! Somebody's gonna go home with a black eye and a missing car today for sure! You gotta do something man!"

"Look Twink," said Neela suddenly. She had been quietly observing their conversation, her heart getting more uncomfortable by the second. "Sean's got no problem against them. And they haven't done anything to wrong him. What's the use of picking a fight with them? We'll lose out in the end – they've got more fists than us."

"But Neela, you don't understand – "

"Twink, please," said Sean in a firm tone. "You said it yourself: they're _yakuza_. They're not scared of D.Ks. I bet they've got a dozen of 'em tightly controlled under their skins."

"Then you want somethin' to happen before you start walkin'?" said Twink bitterly. He threw up his hands and backed away. "Okay – fine. You're the D.K. here."

Sean felt bad at once. "Twink - " he called after him but Neela put her hand on his shoulder. "Sean," she said softly. He turned around to look at her and she could see the pain in his face. "I don't want you to get hurt," she said gently and kissed him on his lips. Sean understood her good intentions, but Twink was partly right. As D.K., he had an obligation to protect the interests of his turf and its 'people'. But he couldn't go picking a fight with the _yakuza_.

Not without a good, solid reason.

* * *

But as people were trying their best to stay away from the_ new kuza_, as they were being secretly nicknamed, some were making them their new best friends. And through it all, Yuri watched slimy offers to drive for them, endured lecherous gazes on her body and tried to ignore Imiga's hand around her waist, keeping him extra close to him as if she was a porcelain doll. 

"Hey lady!" said one of Imiga's new acquaintances, someone by the name of Morimoto. Yuri looked blankly at him. He offered her a packet of cigarettes. "One?"

"Keep your fags to yourself," she lashed back out at him.

"Oooo…."s went off all around the black circle. Yuri dared not meet Imiga's eyes. She knew that the smile on his face was now fixed and plastic and his dignity had been slashed at. But he kept iron cool grip over his anger and said with a shrug: "_Shou ga nai_ – this girl ain't as dirty as your girls."

Morimoto laughed and planted a wet kiss on the cheek of his current squeeze, a girl with pink highlights in her hair who looked just about to burst out of her tight green tank top and ultra-short jeans. "You shower every day, don't you?" The girl giggled briefly, but as Morimoto took a long drag on his cigarettes, she noticed that the girl's face flickered miserably for a moment as their eyes locked, but she turned away at once and put on her cheery mask once more.

Yuri couldn't decide which was stuck in worse conditions, herself being instructed to wear something 'that didn't make her look like a nerd' by Imiga just the day before. When she had showed up that night (at his garage first, by instruction again) with a sleeveless and knee-length black dress, Imiga had grabbed a pair of scissors snipped the dress ruthlessly to just halfway down her thighs. Yuri had never been more ashamed, what more that he had done it in front of his gang, but she bit her lip and did not complain, as long as he did no harm to her mother.

The only thing that could possibly worsen the situation was to be spotted by Ming, who right at that moment was dancing about in her miserable mind and made her feel both comforted and pained at the same time. She hadn't seen him in the two days after the meeting with Imiga, nor had she called him. He had tried to call her, and even left messages on her phone saying that he wanted to take her out to dinner, but in her agony she just shut her phone and tried her best to put him out of her mind. But she was failing quite spectacularly.

"Yuri?" came Imiga's voice, whispering huskily into her ear. "Hmm?" she replied without looking at him.

"Yuri…" he murmured again and dropped the slightest of kisses on the nape of her neck. Her reflex action was to jerk away from him, but she fought to stay put, lest she risk his anger. "Look at me, Yuri…"

She did, and his black eyes were shining lazily with desire. She forced a smile. "Yes?"

He tested her with a playful smile but an intense gaze into her eyes. "Something wrong? Somebody on your mind?"

"No," she said simply. "I was just thinking about school. Homework."

"Have you finished them?" his hand brought her closer to him. She cleared her throat as a sign of discomfort and, surprisingly, he backed away. He grinned and twirled a lock of her hair, which she had let loose about her shoulders, and said, "Remember the guy I told you I wanted you to race with?"

"Mmm-hmm," she said nonchalantly.

"He's a D.K., just so you should know," he said. "But not here… D.K. from another hot spot. He's number one on my hit list, just so you should know," he tilted his head and smiled twistedly, sending shivers down her spine. "I asked him here tonight, you know, to play on neutral ground since I can safely say that I am not a Boshi regular."

"But I've driven here before," she said with a frown.

"Ah, but he doesn't need to know that now, does he?" he laughed, a whispery and hoarse laugh. Yuri looked away and scanned the crowd aimlessly.

"Imiga-san!"

Both Imiga and Yuri snapped their heads up in the direction of the voice. It was one of Imiga's sidekicks. "He's here."

Imiga smiled a satisfactory smile and nodded. "Bring him in won't you? I can't wait to start beating him."

"Through me, you mean," said Yuri sarcastically.

"But of course," he replied, stroking her cheek. She stared at him back defiantly but he ignored her defiance. "You will win tonight, won't you?"

"And what if I don't?"

"Say bye-bye to your Supra then," he grinned and kissed her full on her lips. She couldn't find the capability to do anything but just let him drink from her depression.

"Hey there, Imiga-san," said a voice, but this voice was not the sidekick's. Yuri felt a jolt of shock as she pulled away instinctively and turned her eyes away, her heart thudding with panic. She recognised that voice, and she didn't dare look up.

"D.K.-san," replied Imiga in return and he shook hands with the newcomer. "So glad to see you over from Shibuya."

"How can I say no to an invitation to race?"

"Meet your racer for today," said Imiga and tapped Yuri's shoulder. "Yuri, why so shy? Say hello to the D.K. of Shibuya."

Yuri took a deep breath and stood hesitantly. Imiga put an arm around her shoulders and that forced her to look directly at the D.K. he was talking about. "Yuri," said Imiga, "meet Ming. Ming, meet – "

"Yuri," Ming finished for him. Yuri did everything in her power to not run away from the scene as fast as she could. How could he be here? And how could she race him? Not when – oh God – not when he had seen her with Imiga?

Why did her life had to be so complicated?

* * *

Note No.2 : _Shou ga nai _means "I can't help it." Cheers. 


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: Didn't think I'd make it but phew! Couldn't just leave a cliffhanger like that, eh? Anyhow, there'll probably a dry spell of chapters for the next few weeks so… enjoy this one, wontcha?

Song of the Chappie: **Rocket Ride – Felix Da Housecat**

Chapter 11

Imiga's eyebrows rose when Ming mentioned her name. He ignored the wannabe _yakuza_'s surprise and kept his eyes fixed on the girl beside him: Yuri. And not only was she letting him keep a possessive arm around her waist, but she was about to race for him. On normal circumstances, he would have just shrugged and went with the flow.

But this was Yuri – _the_ Yuri, and why did she have to look so damn good?

He could see that she was even more nervous than him – and there was a hint of guilt and plea on her face. But he wouldn't buy any of it now. Maybe later, but now his blood was rushing in his veins, drowning out all reason and tolerance. But still he found the ability to keep a calm and nonchalant look on his face.

Imiga laughed, breaking the tense spell between Ming and Yuri. "Why the long faces, my friends? Let's get the show on the road."

"We're still on pink slips?" asked Ming, never taking his eyes off her. At the sound of '_pink slips_', all signs of emotions were wiped off from Yuri's paling face, replaced by a cool and steely look, one that spoke of nothing but pure determination. He knew at once that she would never forgive him if he managed to beat her and win her Supra. And he found himself eager to step up to the challenge.

"Yep," said Imiga, and, as if to arouse his anger, he drew Yuri closer to him and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Go beat him up, tigress."

Ming turned around to get to his Eclipse. He didn't think he could stand to see anymore of that crap. To hell if she had wanted for it to happen or not – he had a race to win.

* * *

Yuri steered her Supra to the starting line, her heart thudding against her rib cage with anxiety and apprehension. She had never seen that kind of look on his face before – a look that spelt of no forgiveness and no turning back. How she wished she could bring him to a quiet corner and explain everything to him, but he whisked himself away from the scene too quickly for her to catch him. He wouldn't let her get away so easily, not now that he had seen her and that jerk together.

And he was the D.K. of Shibuya, of all things! A D.K. He had never told that to her – he had let her believe that he was just an ordinary street guy who did tune-ups for cars in his rundown garage. As she had come to learn from Morimoto, D.K.s always, _always_ had some kind of connection to the _yakuza_, some kind of dirty business tricks up their sleeves, and always, _always_, had girls in their arms every time they showed up at their scene.

So how many girls had he bedded, how many girls had he tricked and swindled: showering them with affection one night and the other treat them as nobodies? Hot tears attacked the corners of her eyes. She could have been one of them, one of those doe-eyed cheap girls.

She hated the realization, and the hatred delivered her a kind of energy that she had never found before as she put her foot down onto the pedal and accelerated hard, her tires squealing and burning smoke and propelling the car into the intangible and exhilarating zone where only speed, instant reflexes, and barely-there common sense existed.

Ming's Eclipse was much, much faster than she had expected, it being an Eclipse an all, but Yuri shrugged it off with a harsh laugh. She would defend her Supra at all costs.

Both cars were almost neck to neck on the long straight as the spectators cheered and screamed their hearts out for their respective drivers. Then the hairpin loomed and Yuri jerked the E-brake, kicked the clutch and yanked her steering wheel, never lifting her foot of the throttle. She felt her car making the drift, a surefire clean one, and upon the verge of sliding she quickly counter-steered. Her Supra was in the inside line, while his Eclipse took the outside. She glanced quickly at the side mirrors and saw, with bated breath, as he drifted just as smoothly and confidently as her.

Damn it, she was _so_ not going to lose to him!

Both cars pulled out of the corner at the same speed, neck to neck again, and the spectators couldn't decide who was leading, the Supra or the Eclipse. Both drivers were equally matched, and never before had they seen such furious racing. The second corner came up fast, a looser one, and Yuri attempted something that had always worked for her loose corners. She braked as late as she could, using the normal brakes, and then put her car into a drift as she attacked the corner. The Eclipse turned in just a split second later. Yuri's Supra, as if rebelling, slid even looser than she had expected, forcing her to concede to the outer line, and the Eclipse snatched the inside line at once, like a lion pouncing on its prey.

* * *

Sean stood among the spectators at that fateful corner. No, he didn't believe it, that Jap step-sister of his was actually racing. _Again_. She couldn't be that popular. The Eclipse attacked the corner with a kind of familiarity that struck him at once. He had seen that kind of drift, he knew he had. No two racers drifted similarly, but Sean could certainly identify with the one he had just seen. Where had he seen it? Where? 

"Looks familiar, ain't it?" popped Twink's voice all of a sudden.

"I can't put my finger on it," said Sean.

"Well I can," said Twink, shrugging as Sean looked at him curiously. "It's Han's. Han drifts that way – look at how neat it is – the nose and the butt is an almost perfect 90 degrees, if I might say, with the racin' line. An' you know you don't see it that often, but I've seen it a hundred times with Han, when he was teachin' us how to drift an' all."

"But it can't be," said Sean. Right at that moment, he couldn't form sturdy arguments, his mind was still fixed on the overtaking. Perhaps that tough-as-nails girl couldn't take an experienced opponent, despite the apparent skill she showed.

"This fella," said Twink again, "had got to have had some kinda trainin' with Han. One way or anotha, ya know? Maybe he was a really faithful disciple, or – or, maybe – "

"The way you're puttin' it, Twink," said Sean with a grin. "You're gonna suggest that they're _related_ next."

"Hey, you never know, aight? Hey," Twink held up a chunk of cash. "Wanna bet who wins?"

Sean took one look at the thick pile and Twink's grinning, hopeful face, and reached into his pocket for his wallet. "Aw what the hell. This here's for the guy – I got a feelin' he'll be beatin' that Jap girl tonight."

Twink gave him a pained look. "Come on, Sean. I know you can do better than that."

"Can't do, Chief. Anymore and I'll burn in hell."

"Heck Sean, we'll all burn in hell. But before I do, I wanna smell banknotes till I get sick of 'em."

"Wait a minute, have you seen Neela?"

Twink shook his head. "No Sir. Finally separated from the hip?"

Sean gave him a sarcastic grin. "Very funny, Little Star."

"No I ain't seen her since I left da two of you earlier tonight. Don't worry Sean. She'll turn up. They always do. Sooner or later."

"Man, you're talkin' as if she's some kinda cow or somethin'."

"Livestock's the word, my brotha. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some collectin' to make before the race ends."

"Just get outta here," said Sean with a playful grin.

* * *

Yuri bit her lip in pure, concentrated frustration. She had tried to make a pass by him many times during the corners, but he was too good for her. But not too good, fortunately, for she was constantly just millimetres away from his rear bumper. Once or twice her nose and his rear brushed each other and sparks flew from the furious trading of paint but neither of them barely noticed.

Ming wasn't having such a ball of a time either. He thought that he could lose her, wrench his car from the fierce fangs of her Supra, even if for only a few inches. But no, she kept showing up on his radar, dangerously close to him, and he found this race one of the most exhilarating he had ever done, and such an instance was rare. In his 7-year career as the D.K. of Shibuya, he had never found himself so closely hounded by another racer, but perhaps he had seriously misjudged her.

The final hairpin came their way, the one before the all-or-nothing drift to attack the ramp to the rooftop. Yuri braked and drifted her car so aggressively that her fingernails dug into the vinyl of her steering wheel and bent under her force. Then she quickly counter-steered as soon as she had achieved her desired drift angle and balanced the throttle feed to maintain her drift. The Eclipse followed a split second later, and, her heart jumping, found that he had run too wide. She quickly moved in for the kill and duly overtook him.

She had the advantage now to take the ramp, and, heart leaping, she accelerated hard across the long straight as she weaved to left and right, finding the racing line, then pulled her car into a drift.

To her judgment, her angle had been just right. Everything seemed decided, everything seemed correct, logical. But out of nowhere, he _came_.

Ming had somehow found a tighter angle than hers, enabling him to sneak right past her, even in mid-drift, and reclaim the lead. She watched in mixed horror and despair as he drifted ahead of her up the ramp while she followed close behind with a sort of tiny hope that he would please, please, let up, but it didn't happen.

And then, suddenly, it was over.

* * *

He had won. Yes, he had won. But why wasn't he feeling nothing else but guilt? Ming got out of the car as the eager and hyped-up spectators crowded in on his Eclipse, clapping and cheering, some recognising him as the D.K. of Shibuya and paid him all due respect. He attempted a half-smile, but his eyes later strayed over to the defeated Supra of Yuri's. He wondered what she would do.

The door of her Supra opened faster than he had expected, and out came Yuri. She looked a bit tired, but other than that, she still appeared to be steady and sure of herself. But he noticed that her face was as pale as death, and he bet that her hands were actually shaking, shaking with grief to part with the one thing that she had loved and cared for her whole life.

And all he wanted to do now was to go to her and hold her and tell her that he was sorry and please keep her Supra. He didn't want it. He didn't want any part, not even cash. All he wanted and needed, right there and then, was for her smile, her joy for him to share in, heck, even her affection, not ashen submission. He now realised that no matter how painful it was to see her with another man, and the fact that she had allowed him to kiss her, that he couldn't' possibly stay angry at her, that he couldn't hate her, and even in his victory, he felt as if he was the defeated one.

Imiga appeared at her side as she made her way towards him. He gave her a long, hard look; the kind of look that Ming didn't see fit to give to any woman, no matter if she was a whore; and then snatched the keys out of her hands. Yuri drew a sharp breath and turned away, walking off towards the elevator, but Imiga went straight to him.

"Nice race," he said with a smile, but Ming could tell that it was dripping with resentment and embarrassment. He handed the keys to the Supra to him. "Here: it's yours. You deserve it."

The crowd surrounding them burst into approving applause and cheers and whistles, but Ming didn't appreciate it one bit. "Keep it," he said, pushing the keys back to him. "I was just racing for fun."

Imiga laughed, but it was a harsh one. "Ha-ha. Yeah, we all know that. Come on, don't shame me will ya? Not in front of everyone. Heck, it's not even mine."

"Why don't you ask the owner first?" he replied back. Soft laughter bubbled among the crowd.

Imiga's face turned slightly scarlet but he forced the smile to stay on his face. "Aww come on. Just take it. She lost. The end. Just take it and, I dunno, sell it and earn money. Come on. I ain't got all day."

"So that you can catch up with her and beat her up for her failure?" Those words were out of Ming's mouth before he could stop them. Anger rose up in him when he realised that Imiga was fully capable, and fully intending as well, to punish Yuri for losing to him. And he couldn't stand it. Gasps ignited among those watching but he ignored them.

A short laugh escaped Imiga's lips. "What do you think she is to me, a slave? I'll teach her a lesson, of course, but not the way you picture it to be, oh no – it'll be a lesson full of gentleness and… _love_." The last word he drawled with deliberate sweetness, causing the rest of his gang to snicker and snort.

Ming clenched his fists, but he refrained from hitting his stupid, smug face. "Fine. But if I ever find out – "

"You won't. Bye bye, gotta go. Catch you around?" said Imiga abruptly, tilting his head slightly and then turning around and walked back to the elevator, escorted by his gang. The crowd dispersed amid mutters and excited whispers as Ming watched him. Yuri was waiting for him by the elevator, wearing a mask of stricken calm. Imiga grabbed her by her arm roughly and pushed her into the open elevator. Ming drew a sharp breath but before he could move a muscle, Imiga had gotten in himself and they both locked gazes.

Just before the doors closed, Imiga gave him a twisted smile and waved a small bye-bye.

* * *

Yuri waited for a reaction with bated breath. The elevator was deathly silent; no sound except for the whirring of the machine operating the tin box. Inside her now she felt nothing but emptiness, sheer hollow emptiness, as if an organ had been ripped out brutally from her system. For the first time, she would be going home without her Supra. For the first time, she had actually lost in her Supra. Now she waited for the blow, the blow that Imiga always gave to her back in Hokkaido whenever she had displeased him.

And then it came.

He turned around suddenly and slapped her hard, right on her cheek. The force was so great that she was forced onto her knees. Her cheek stinging hotly of his slap, she bit her lip to withstand the pain. She couldn't show him her weakness. Not now. Not here. But neither could she attempt to argue with him, or defy him, for he could just pluck out his cell phone, make that call, and she would never see her mother again.

Tears again pricked at her eyes, but she forced herself not to cry. He yanked her arm up to get her to her feet and she couldn't stop the yell of pain from escaping her lips. "Painful now, isn't it?" he hissed at her ear. "Now you know what it's like to have your honour smeared, smeared with black ink. You have shamed me!" He roared the last sentence at her face and gave her another hard slap on the other cheek. She let out a brief, ragged whimper, waiting for his next move.

"Day after tomorrow, I want you to be back here with a car," he said, much calmer than before, but it held a lethal edge to it, and his words might just as well slit her throat there and then, "And when you race, you win, okay? Win, or I'll make that blasted phone call. Oh I swear I will. You haven't seen the rest of me yet. Understand?"

She nodded shakily.

The elevator doors opened and Imiga quickly led his gang out. Yuri followed silently then parted ways immediately once out of the elevator, holding her head down so that no-one would notice her beet red face, red not from blushing but red from pain. She walked aimlessly, blindly, as long as she was far and away from him. Tears threatened blurred her vision, but she was alert enough to watch out for obstacles and evade them just in time. She wouldn't like to add another bruise or scar to her gallery of injuries.

* * *

"Now what did I tell ya, Twink?" said Sean with a wide grin as they emerged out of the other elevator. "I told ya the guy would win – any guy who drifts like Han won't loose to a wannabe Jap gal like her."

Twink was not happy at the idea of giving money to anyone, so after paying off a huge sum of it to those who had betted for the guy, he was at his murkiest mood when he handed over the last of the betting cash over to him. "Yeah, yeah, you don't need ta toot like that. It's bad enough that you're just about earnin' wads of yen every day by winnin' races – "

Sean halted all of a sudden. Twink frowned and turned around to look at him, still holding the cash.

"Hey what are you – " Twink said as he followed Sean's stare. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets when he saw Neela talking to, of all people, that jerk freak idiot Morimoto.

"Whoa is that what I – wait, Sean, what you doin' man?"

Sean made a furious beeline for them, his fists clenched and his jaw set in such a way that Twink had never seen before. "Hey Sean! Sean!"

Morimoto saw Sean coming for him and backed off instantly, holding his hands up and saying, "Hey, hey, easy boy – just talking to an old friend."

"The hell you are talkin' to an 'old friend'," hissed Sean, giving him a rough shove. He didn't, and couldn't tolerate people who had once insulted and tested his patience mercilessly in the past. Sean didn't forget easily, and neither did he forgive. "Now you better tell me what you're doin' here before I find out the hard way."

"Sean!" said Neela, putting her hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "We were just talking, baby."

Sean's eyes darted wildly between her and Morimoto, upon whose face was already carved a sarcastic smirk. The look in Neela's face, one that showed nothing short of horror, fear, and plea, softened his heart and made him realise how close he had come to loosing his temper, something that he had promised himself he would never do in front of her, especially because of her. She had made him make that promise or she would walk out on him. For good.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Morimoto and said as calmly as he could, "Get the freakin' hell outta my face."

"Done," said Morimoto, and he went off, disappearing into the scene.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Neela with a shake of her head.

"What? What did I do wrong?"

"Just look at yourself. You almost punched him, didn't you? Didn't you?"

"Look, I was just concerned, okay?" He almost yelled at her.

"Oh good, now you're raising your voice against me, aren't you? You're so hell of a great right now aren't you?" she retorted back him, but her eyes were shining with the promise of tears.

Sean drew another deep breath. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, right? How would I know what he was up to?" Neela shook her head and started to walk away, but he caught her hand.

"Neela, please," he said pleadingly.

She turned around and her eyes were already slightly moist and red. He felt bad at once. "Three years ago, I would have just stayed and swallowed it all," she said slowly, her voice shaking, "But that was then. I won't stand up to this now. I don't want a guy who loses his head over stupid things like me talking to another guy. I want a man who thinks twice before saying or doing anything. I'm sorry Sean, but I need a break. We both need a break. I love you, Sean. I love you more than anything in the world, and I can't imagine living without your love. But we need to step back and give each other some breathing space, you know?"

He felt his heart breaking, heard the cracks widening and tiny shards clinking. "Please, Neela – please don't do this."

"I must. We must. Rethink your priorities okay? When you think you've got everything figured out, then call me."

"But I _have_ gotten every damn thing figured out," he insisted. "I love you, and I don't give a damn about anythin' else. Nothin's more important to me than havin' you by my side. I need you, Neela. I really do."

But she shook her head again, this time defiantly, and Sean knew that it was a definite no. He could only stand there, helpless and shattered, as he watched her walk away towards her RX-8.

It was a long, long silence as he saw her leave, Neela not once looking back at him, but he could see the trail of wet tears on her face when her car drove past him slowly before roaring its way out.

"Hey Sean," said Twink hesitantly. "I – uh…"

"What is it, Twink?" He turned around to look at his friend, but judging from the look on his face, he was not in the mood to be amused.

"It's just that, uh… well look over there!"

Sean glanced at where Twink was pointing and saw the lone and forlorn figure of his Jap step-sister. Her head was bowed down, as if not wanting to look at even the road before her, and suddenly he felt the urge to call out to her.

"Hey – hey Yuri!"

She turned around, surprised to see that the call came from him, but walked towards him anyway, her eyes narrowed curiously and frowningly at him. Twink was even more surprised to hear that Sean actually _knew_ the chick's name, and boy, what a heck of a chick she was. She didn't look like the ordinary Jap girls that littered Boshi, but there was something unusual in her. He couldn't call her a Jap, but at the same time, he couldn't call her a Caucasian either. _And look at those long, fine legs,_ thought Twink most approvingly, _she deserves to be on the catwalk._

"What?" she said bluntly at Sean. Sean saw traces of red streaks on her face, especially around her cheeks and frowned. "Boy, what happened to ya?"

"What do you care?" she replied carelessly, but Sean had to know. If they went home to the Lieutenant like this, he would have not just her but him too, grounded for good, even though he was not schooling anymore.

"Well, er, Yuri, this is Twink. Twink – Yuri. I feel like goin' home. Come on, I'll give you a lift."

Yuri would rather be caught dead than being seen getting into a car with him, but she could save money on taxi fare. She smiled faintly at Twink, who returned the smile with a wide one. "Nice ta meetcha. You goin' off so soon, Sean?"

"Yep, ya heard me. See ya tomorrow. Let's go, Yuri."

She had no choice but to follow him to his S15, a dark silver beauty that, unfortunately, was plastered all over with decals. She didn't approve of that kind of taste. "Ugh. Why do you do this to your car?" she couldn't help but ask as he unlocked it.

"Do what?" he asked accusingly, frowning.

"Scarring your S15 with nosy little decals," she said irritably. Even though she wished she had kept her mouth shut, in a way she was glad that she hadn't because slowly but surely by arguing, it was returning a little bit of life and spirit back into her. And surprisingly, she knew almost certainly that he felt the same way.

Sean tried to stifle a grin. "They ain't nosy."

She couldn't quite well hide her smile as well. "Oh yes they are."

His grin grew wider as he got into the driver's seat. "I said they ain't."

"I say they are."

"Why you little – "

"Go on, say it cowboy. Say the word. I dare you to."

"Prick."

"_Baka_."

"Hardeehar. Very funny."

But the little argument ceased after a while. They both fell quiet as he steered his way out of the parking basement. It wasn't until they halted at the first traffic light that he turned and asked her: "Now you're gonna tell me what the heck happened to you after that race or I can't help you arrange a good defense against the Lieutenant."

She closed her eyes for a while. "It's one hell of a story. Can you please just act like you never saw anything?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm your step-brother. If anything happens to ya, the Lieutenant is gonna skin me alive. And ya know that I'm too young to die like that."

* * *

P.S. – _Baka_ means 'idiot'. Review please, as always! 


	12. Chapter 12

Author's note: Eeeeeeeeps! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages… writer's block (thanks to the Neverending Pile of Homework too) has kept me off… I hope this chappie is good enough to make up for the wait; hopefully Chapter 13 won't take too long (hint: more action in that one!)

Song of the Day: ** Naked As We Came **by** Iron and Wine**

Disclaimer: So if it doesn't belong to me, who does it belong to?

**Chapter 12**

Yuri sighed. "What do you want to know?"

Sean shrugged. "I don't know – maybe the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" He glanced at her. Guilty as hell. "You can start with how you got started in racin' in the first place."

She rolled her eyes. "And this is going to help my defense against the Lieutenant?"

"It doesn't have to stop at just the Lieutenant," he said. The light turned green and he eased the handbrake. "You said it yourself: the garage of modified cars sitting in Shibuya."

She leaned against the headrest and shut her eyes. Her mother's frightened image flashed through her eyes, and the memory of Imiga's slap made her cheek tingle with heat yet again. But through it all… the hurt that stung the most: Ming.

How would she ever explain to him without involving him, and how could they go back to what they used to be? Damaged, all of it. Damaged beyond repair. What they had, or what she thought they had.

There had been something, right?

"Yuri?"

What the heck. "My mom," she began sullenly, her throat heavy with the effort to control her emotion. "When the Lieutenant left… well, life wasn't a bed of roses. She took jobs here and there as a maid, janitor, then maid again. Every month she had a different job, and every month there was just enough to pay the rent. There were some days when we couldn't even eat a scrap of bread. Then she took a job on the streets." She opened her eyes. "She became a prostitute."

Sean opened his mouth to say something, but shut it back.

"Thanks for shutting up," she muttered.

"No prob."

"Anyway, yeah, she slept around for money. She brought men home and I'd stay awake and listen to what went on in the other room, because I was little and I didn't know what the grown-ups did that could make so much noise. I found out about it when I was 14. I got so mad at her I ran away from home. I mean, my mom is the town whore, how could I ever show my face in school ever again?

"The night I ran away, I had no place to sleep, so I just propped myself up against the wall of a scrapyard and tried my best to sleep. But Koji found me."

"Koji?"

She smiled to herself. "He became my best friend. It was his dad's junkyard by the way. His dad took me in and I stayed at their house, which was part of their shop, for a couple of days till my mom found me and dragged me home. But every day after school I'd run to the Ayama scrapyard and hang out with Koji and his dad. Lots of rotten, old cars get sent there, some of them with engines still fine, and Koji and I would play in them, pretending that we could really drive. That was how I fell in love with cars.

"Koji's dad used to be a street racer too, yeah how cool was he? He liked to sit under the zinc roof with a glass of sake and talk all about his racing days; how he used to drive, how people modified their cars back then, all that crap. I really loved listening to his stories till the point where I had this crazy idea of racing for a living."

"Which you kinda do," remarked Sean. She laughed. "Yeah. Funny how life is, huh?"

"Anyway…?"

"Anyway, my mom had a nervous breakdown soon after. Maybe it was the oversex. I don't know. She went on drugs to cure herself, but of course she got worse, the worse she got, the more drugs she used. I was 16, and I couldn't care less anymore about her. Till she went and borrowed a huge lump of money from the _yakuza_."

"_Yakuza_? They have them in Hockey-wherever too?"

"It's _Hokkaido_, but the town I live in is different. _Yakuza_'s everywhere; just like your American mafia. They don't just stay in Sicily, do they? Anyway, you could say that she'd practically borrowed her whole life from them. And of course, if you don't pay them back, they come and take things from you. Your life, for instance." She swallowed. "They wanted to killed me, and she let them did it too."

Sean was struck by horror. How could – but this wasn't a time for such questions. "You're kiddin'? Then how – "

"Luckily," said Yuri sarcastically, "I'd been racing my butt off illegally long enough to be somewhat good. I just got my Supra, and all the races I ever did eversince: I won them."

"So you made a deal with them," concluded Sean quietly. "You race for them till you pay back every single yen your mom owed."

She nodded. "Glad to see your skull ain't thick as it looks to be."

"What an insult."

"Anyway…"

"Yeah, anyway…"

"Then I met him. His name was Imiga, and he was a relation of the head _yakuza_ honcho, but so green no-one took his word. But he had it, you know. The aura. He drew people to him, regardless of what monstrosity he did. He could kill a person and yet his chums would stick by him till the very end." She looked away. "I was one of them. I was one of the weak people who thought they looked great beside a _yakuza_ wannabe. Koji tried to pull me back to what I used to be, but I refused. I thought he was stupid for not wanting to help him, to join him. Slowly, though, I fell in love with him. Imiga." The name was bitter to her tongue, and she was tempted to spit it out, but not in the car; her _gaijin _half-brother would kill her.

"This Imiga guy," said Sean, turning into a covered parking lot where he usually parked his car. "He's the head of the _new kuza_?"

"Yeah. He'd always fancied himself as head of something; he wanted to be important, that's all he ever wanted to be. He wanted to make his Uncle Kamata proud. We got together, Imiga and I. The first few weeks were heaven: I was the apple of his eye, and he treated me like a princess, buying me this, buying me that. Suddenly, one day, I woke up. I saw all the crimes he did; when I met him, he was Imiga, now, he was I don't know, like Godzilla or something."

"Let me guess," Sean cut in. "You walked out on him. He got mad…"

"I tried to run away," she finished for him. "The social security people got hold of my mom and admitted her to an asylum. I had no other guardian than the Lieutenant, so here I am. But recently," her face grew troubled. "Well, let's just say he caught up with me and is holding my mom hostage. And I can't – I just can't let her – you know."

"I understand," said Sean. He pulled the car into a parking box and killed the engine. They sat in their seats, unwilling to leave the car just yet. "Your car."

"I know," she replied.

"You have to keep racing for him, right?"

She hung her head.

"So what are ya gonna race with?"

"I have this R32," she said, remembering suddenly. "Yeah, I won it the other day at Boshi, if you – oh."

"Oh what?"

"I left it… somewhere."

"Do you remember it?"

"Heck, I'm not that thick!" she glared at him. "It's just that – well, it's with someone I'd rather not meet for the time being."

Sean broke into a grin. "I think I know who he is."

"Oh yeah?"

"The guy you raced against today, you know, the Eclipse. I mean, he has an Eclipse, and it isn't your averagely stupid Eclipse. If he could get one all the way from the States and turn it into something that good, he's gotta be somebody."

"I'm not afraid of his power or reputation or whatever," she said crossly. And truly she wasn't. "It's – it's complicated." She paused. "But I need that Skyline."

"Damn right you need it." He licked his lips. "Tell ya what, why don't I go get it for you? It's in his garage, ain't it?"

Yuri nodded. As an afterthought, "but he wouldn't just let you haul any car off. Nobody's that insane… I'll come with you."

"But I thought – "

"I need to iron some things out with him, anyway," she replied curtly. Sean kept 'buts' to himself. Heck, she was sounding a bit like the Lieutenant already. He suddenly laughed, and Yuri stared at him. "What's so funny, Yankee?"

"I never thought I'd be in this kinda situation. I mean, I've never had a single brother or sister all my life and here you are. And now I'm helpin' you to get your car – it's just so weird, you know."

To her own surprise, she laughed along. He caught on her infectious laughter and laughed even more, and soon they were laughing so hard the car actually shook.

* * *

Yuri watched the door with abated breath as Sean tried his best to open it as quietly as possible. She'd tried to convince him that she was the better sneaker (he always came home with a bang) but he insisted that since he was the older brother, he should be the one to commit the crime. Well if they were caught, it was his –

_Scccreeeeeeeech._

She threw her hands up. "Great!"

"Ssssh! I don't see the Lieutenant anywhere."

"He has his ways, you know."

"Like I don't! I've lived with him - "

"Just come in," said the crisp, steely tone that they were so familiar with. Sean straightened up and exchanged accusatory glances with Yuri. She, unfortunately, couldn't find anything smarter than, "_Baka_", and with that they stepped hesitantly into the house.

The Lieutenant was sitting at his usual chair by the lamp, a half-finished beer bottle on the table. He looked up at them, not a single expression on his face. "Excuse?"

Sean and Yuri looked at each other with raised eyebrows. This was something new.

"We were just…" Sean's gaze averted back to Dad. "I brought her out to a club."

Yuri faked a big smile. "As a Big Mikan experience, Dad."

"Yeah, as a, you know, what a big brother can do for his little sister kind of thing. She's still kinda new in town, right?"

She resisted the urge to glower with anger at the phrase 'little sister' but kept her wits about her. "Well of course I wanted to hit the malls, but _no_, Sean here kept insisting that clubbing is the best way to go in good old Tokyo. So…" she shrugged, " _shou ga nai_."

Dad frowned at Sean. "You brought your underaged sister _clubbing_?"

Sean glared at Yuri. No way was he going to let her escape that way. The sneaky little Chihuahua. "She asked for it, Dad. Said she had some friends to meet at this particular club and she simply _can't_ not meet them and – "

"That is _so _not true, Dad."

"Oh yeah? Then how come – "

"Hold your horses," said the Lieutenant suddenly and leaned forward in his chair, peering at Yuri. "What happened to your face, Yuri?"

Her heart skipped a beat. "Wh-what?" she spluttered out.

"Your face," repeated Dad, drumming his fingers impatiently on the arm of his chair. "It looks as if somebody hit it."

Yuri exchanged another bewildered gaze with Sean, who quickly cooked an excuse up. Boy, he was getting good at this game. "I did it."

Dad's eyebrows furrowed so heavily that they seemed to be knitted together. Yuri could only stare incredulously at Sean, who was trying to keep a straight face. "I did it, Sir. I slapped her."

"And why," said Dad in a stone-cold voice, "the hell would you do that?"

"I was drunk," offered Yuri rapidly. "I was drunk and I was, I think, trying to seduce him." She grinned apologetically at her half-brother. "He must have gotten so freaked out that he slapped me to get me back to my senses. You know what alcohol can do to you."

"Yeah yeah," said Sean in befuddled agreement. "She's uh right."

To their greatest surprise (and a bit of joy), Dad put the beer bottle back on the table and smiled in amusement. "At least the two of you're getting along, huh?"

Sean and Yuri could only nod stupidly in return. "Yes, Sir."

"And you're especially lucky that you don't have school tomorrow, Yuri," he tilted his head in Yuri's direction. "Sean, promise me one thing."

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever bring her to a club until she turns 21."

Sean had to grin. "Yes, Sir."

The Lieutenant proceeded to shoo them to bed and promptly turned off the lights soon after they entered the small closet-cum-bedroom. Yuri dropped onto her mattress gratefully. "That went well."

"I'd say," he said wryly, shrugging out of his T-shirt and, later, his jeans.

"Sean! That's gross!"  
"What? I'm wearing boxers, okay?"

Yuri covered her eyes. "I am a modest, respectful, Asian girl whose pure, innocent soul is being tempted by the dangerous, reckless, 'gangsta' from the West."

"Oh for God's sakes – it's called boxers!" She suddenly felt herself being pulled up by her shoulders and let out a shriek. "Let me down, you – you – "

There came a furious rap on the door. "Bed!" yelled Dad.

"Yes, Sir!"

* * *

As always, please review:D


	13. Chapter 13

Author's note: Yippee, another chapter! Although not much happens in this chapter either. _Sumimasen_! Thanks for the peeps who are still reading this story and thanks muchies for your reviews! _Hai! Arigato gozaimasu!_

Disclaimer: Sean, Twinkie, Neela, and crew are not mine. They belong to the Universe. Or is it Dreamworky? Hmm…

**Chapter 13**

"What on earth are we doing here again?"

Sean rolled his eyes at Twinkie. They were cruising slowly down a seedy road in his S15, where rundown shops still sold old-fashioned rice dumplings, homemade ramen and rice paper lanterns and the _nori_ was still a hot favourite. Here and there were the occasional vending machine selling mini Hello Kitties in a capsule and Sega video arcades.

"We're findin' a garage," he replied through gritted teeth.

"Oh. And, uh, who is this for again?"

"Stop acting stupid, Twink. I know what I'm doin'."

"First Neela, now this. Have ya ever bothered to consider the emotional rollercoaster ride you put me through every time you get caught up with a girl? It's enough to murder anyone."

Sean had to grin. "Shut up, Twink." He pulled over by the roadside and dug in his jeans pocket for the scrap of paper Yuri gave him in the morning.

On it was written neatly the general directions to the garage where the R32 she won the other night was kept. She'd suddenly changed her mind and decided to stay adamantly at home. He'd tried to get her to come along, because it would be just weird if he was the one who turned up and claimed a car which wasn't his, but that stubborn Jap of a girl kept insisting that she had to study for a (nonexistent) test. Eventually, the Lieutenant caught wind of it and ordered him to leave her alone.

"Man, I still can't believe she's related to you!" blurted Twink suddenly. "I mean, it's just weird, y'know? Sean has a sister. The D.K. has a sister. Lil' sis. I just can't imagine you looking out for anyone."

"What are ya talkin' about? I look out for everyone all the time." But Sean knew there was a scrap of truth in that. His recklessness hardly qualified him as a mature, caring person. "And she's my half-sister. _Half._"

"Alraight, alraight," said Twink moodily, "there'd better not be any trouble, that's all I'm sayin'."

Sean turned into a deserted alley. Twink eyed the cracked windows and the general hopelessness of the place. "Are you sure you got the right address? You know this city ain't got no proper street names."

Sean felt restless himself. For all he knew he could be driving into _yakuza_ territory. "I know I'm right," he insisted.

Eventually, he was right. He turned at the end of the alley and a garage spread out before him, built into a warehouse. The place was humming with activity. Four out of the five car jacks had wildly modified cars upon it and males and females working on it. Inside the garage were parked more cars, Fairladys and Silvias and Skylines and RX-7 with an odd Acura NSX among them. Outside the garage a group of teenagers were throwing packet drinks at each other. They stopped when they saw Sean's S15, which he promptly parked just outside the garage entrance.

Sean got out of the car. The teenagers glanced at each other warily.

"I'm looking for Ming," he said in not-so-fluent Japanese.

The teens whispered among each other and one of them ran into the garage. Sean swallowed as he saw stares being directed his way and Twink's.

This had better not get ugly.

* * *

Ming sat on a bench and stared at the Supra sitting docilely in his garage. Her Supra. Yuri's. Even thinking about her name hurt. He took a sip of cold beer. The look on her face. It wasn't even worth it. And who knew what that slimy guy had done to her after losing the race. He knew guys like him who belonged to the _yakuza_, who treated women like animals and money like dirt.

Heck, he'd nearly been one of them.

"Ming," said Koto breathlessly, running up to him. "Hey Ming."

"Hmm?"

"Some people are here to see you."

Ming frowned. He didn't remember keeping any appointments. And he wasn't in much of a mood for any business negotiations. "Who is it?"

"Two _gaijin_. Shizu reckons it's the D.K. of Boshi."

Ming stared at Koto for a few seconds before taking another gulp of beer and tossing the can into a rubbish bin. "Let's go."

He walked out between the hydraulic jacks and smattering of tools, toolboxes, kits and stray nuts and bolts into the open air. He spotted the _gaijin_ D.K. at once. As he approached him, he noticed something eerily familiar about the white _gaijin_'s eyes. He had seen them somewhere before, the wary apprehensiveness and the seriousness of them.

"You're Ming?" he asked in shaky Japanese.

"There's no need for such formalities," he replied, holding out his hand. "Ming."

"Sean. And this is Twinkie."

"How can I help you?"

"I'm here for Yuri."

The mention of her name stopped his mind for a while. He stared back at the _gaijin_. "Who are you to her?"

Sean's head moved slightly, as if interested by that question. "Who are _you_ to her?"

Ming clenched his jaw. "I'm just a friend."

"Yeah, a friend that she'd rather not meet even if she wanted her car back."

"You were at Boshi last night weren't you? You saw it yourself. She lost it."

Sean shook his head. "Not that car. The other one. A Skyline."

"So what are you, her tow truck?" Ming didn't mean to sound so harsh, but if Yuri had that much faith in him, to trust him with her car, he must mean something to her. Maybe he was a friend. Maybe. But it didn't look that way. He could see in the _gaijin_'s face a sincere wish to stand up for her.

"I know what ya thinkin'," said Sean with a dry smile. "But I'm not her pimp. I'm her brother. _Half_-brother. I'm just lookin' out for my little sis and doin' her a favour, okay? I don't want any problems."

Ming's resolve to fight him off (wherever that came from in the first place) vanished. "Oh. Well in that case, help yourself. You got the keys?"

"Yeah," Sean fished the set of keys out from his pocket.

"I'm sorry I was hard on you. I just – I mean…"

"Yeah, I get that," the _gaijin_ D.K. replied with a sincere smile. "She must mean a lot to you." He laughed shortly. "Girls. It's crazy what they can do to ya mind, huh?"

Ming managed a laugh himself. "I'm crazy about her. And I can't do anything about it. You know what, why don't you take the Supra for her as well? It means more to her than anything in the world."

"Yeah, except for you," said Sean, looking directly at Ming. "She cried all last night, just so you should know. And she's not the kind of girl who cries. But she gave me specific orders to not take her Supra back. She, uh, she wants you to take good care of it though," Sean suddenly fidgeted, "and she told me to tell you that she still wants the Veilside, but not _the_ Veilside. Whatever that means," he added with a puzzled frown.

Ming, however, understood perfectly. He smiled to himself. "Then tell her that she's got my _Veilside_ and she can have it whenever she wants."

Sean laughed. "You Japs." Ming led him into the garage and showed him to the Skyline. He tossed the keys to his S15 to Twink, who went to start the car and unlocked the door. Before he got in though, he paused for awhile and looked back to Ming. "I don't know why, but you remind me of someone."

Ming's eyebrows rose. "Oh yeah? Who?"

"A guy named Han. D'ya know him?"

Ming stared back at him. "Yeah. He's _my _brother."

Sean opened his mouth to say something, but Twink honked the S15 and Sean got into the Skyline without saying anything more. But as he drove out of the garage, he couldn't help but look back at him.

* * *

Review please:D


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